


An Unexpected Christmas Gift

by GatorGirl2016



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Castiel and Jack are Adorable, Castiel is Jack Kline's Parent, Castiel's Family Being Assholes (Supernatural), Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Shopping, Cute Child Bonding, Cute Kids, Dean and Jack are Adorable, Destiel Reverse Bang | Dean/Cas Reverse Bang (Supernatural), Except for Gabe, F/F, F/M, Favorite Author, First Dates, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff, Getting Together, Jack is a Child, Love at First Sight, M/M, Meet-Cute, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Soulmates Castiel & Dean Winchester, Teacher Dean Winchester, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, very minor angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-22 21:46:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 24,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30045201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GatorGirl2016/pseuds/GatorGirl2016
Summary: It's Christmas time, and Dean is feeling lonelier than ever. All around him, his friends and family are finding their soulmates, and Dean has all but given up hope of finding his. What will come of a chance encounter with a handsome stranger? Dean just might get his Christmas wish after all.Castiel is a single father hoping to one day find his soulmate. He is tired of being alone and wants to give Jack two parents like he's always wanted. While out doing some Christmas shopping, Castiel has a minor accident and meets a gorgeous stranger. Maybe Cas will get his Christmas with after all.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Charlie Bradbury/Gilda, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester
Comments: 6
Kudos: 41
Collections: Dean/Cas Reverse Bang 2021





	1. Chance Encounters

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, hope you enjoy my entry for the [DCRB.](https://deancasreversebang.fandom.com/wiki/Dean/Cas_Reverse_Bang_Wiki) For this round, I got paired up with the wonderful [kayrosebee](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/kayrosebee) and her gorgeous artwork! Her art masterpost can be found [here.](https://kayrosebee.tumblr.com/post/645757937658232832/im-so-excited-to-finally-be-sharing-the-art-i) I loved working with her and bringing her art to life! I hope you guys enjoy this fic just as much!
> 
> Shout out to my awesome beta Lonewolf34500 for making sure this fic was as good as possible!

Dean Winchester was woken from a deep sleep when his phone started blasting “Highway to Hell.” He groaned and reached out blindly, hoping to turn off the harsh noise in his otherwise quiet bedroom. “Dammit,” he cursed when his searching hand knocked his phone to the ground. Dean forced himself to roll over, a grunt escaping him as he kicked the blankets away. He leaned over the side of his bed, glaring at the phone, pissed at being woken up. Dean snatched the phone up and swiped his finger against the screen, sighing in relief when he was surrounded by silence once again.

Dean dropped back to the bed with a groan. Sunlight was filtering through his curtains, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep. He lay there for a few minutes, staring at the ceiling as he tried to rid his mind of the last dregs of sleep. Dean rubbed at his tired eyes before slinging his legs over the side of the bed and sliding his feet into slippers, which were shaped like red racecars. They had been a gag gift from his brother years ago, but they were too comfy for Dean to chuck in the trash.

Dean grabbed his robe off the corner of his bed, sliding his arms into it and tying the sash loosely around his waist. He shuffled to the kitchen and headed straight to his coffee maker. He grabbed a filter and scooped a couple of tablespoons of coffee grains into it. Dean set the filter inside the maker and pressed the brew button. While he waited for his coffee to brew, Dean put a few pieces of bread in the toaster and pulled the butter and strawberry jelly from the fridge. By now, the nutty aroma of coffee permeated the kitchen, and Dean took a deep breath, letting the scent fill his nose.

Dean opened a cabinet and reached inside for a mug. He grabbed the first one his fingers came into contact with and set it on the counter. The cup was black with a ruler running around the rim, and below it was the words “World’s Best Teacher” written in colorful letters with a pencil beneath them. It had been a Christmas gift from one of his students the previous year.

Dean quickly poured coffee, cream, and sugar into the mug and then took a long gulp of the steaming hot liquid. He smiled in contentment as the coffee slid down his throat, the warmth spreading throughout his entire body. He took another sip before grabbing his toast and spreading butter and jelly on it. Dean had his mug in one hand and his plate in the other and walked to the living room. He took a seat in his recliner and turned the TV on for background noise.

While Dean ate his toast and sipped his coffee, he pulled his phone out and checked his email and social media. He had one email from his principal reminding all the teachers that their grades would be due after Christmas break. Otherwise, she wished everyone happy holidays and reminded them to enjoy their vacation. Dean scrolled through his Facebook for a few minutes before slamming his phone down on the table with disgust. Dean’s entire newsfeed was filled with pictures of friends and family who had either finally found their soulmate or had already found their soulmate and were enjoying life together.

Dean slumped in his chair, a sigh escaping him as he stared at the mark on his left wrist. It was his soulmate tattoo, something every person in the world had. It was a simple mark, a book laying open with a cherry pie sitting next to its bottom-right corner. Somewhere in the world was a person who bore the same symbol, someone who was Dean’s perfect match.

Dean rubbed at the pale pages as longing filled him. For years, he had searched for the person whose mark matched his, but his search had been futile. Even with the help of his family, friends, and nearly a dozen dating websites, Dean hadn’t been able to find his soulmate. Usually, he could push the loneliness he constantly felt to the side, but it became impossible to ignore during the holidays. Seeing all the pictures on his newsfeed so early in the morning made him feel even lonelier.

Dean looked around his small, quiet house, apparent that he lived by himself. Only one pair of boots sat next to the door, and a single beanie, scarf, and jacket hung from the row of hooks on the wall next to the door. Besides a few basic necessities, Dean’s fridge was mostly empty because it was too much of a hassle to cook for one person every night. He had a single dinnerware set that only got used when his brother and girlfriend came over for dinner. The only reason Dean had enough coffee mugs for an army was that kindergartners insisted that they were the best teacher gift in the world. There was a lone pillow on Dean’s bed, and he only used half of his bedroom closet. There was just one toothbrush and razor in the bathroom. He longed for the day when he would be able to share his house with someone, to make it a home instead of just somewhere to live.

Dean was jerked from his thoughts when his phone started ringing. He grabbed the phone and smiled at the number that was flashing on the screen. “Hey, bitch,” Dean said. He grabbed the TV remote and turned the volume down so he could talk to his little brother without interruption.

“Hey, jerk,” Sam greeted. “What are you up to?”

Dean took the last bite of his breakfast and headed back to the kitchen. “Oh, you know, enjoying my morning coffee and some toast… by myself, as always.” Dean knew he was being bitter, but he couldn’t help it.

“Dean, you’ll find your soulmate. You can’t give up hope.”

“It’s getting harder and harder every year. I’m thirty-two years old, Sammy, and still haven’t found them. Most people find their other half by their mid-twenties. Hell, I have even more options than most since I swing for both teams, yet I’m still alone.” Dean set his plate in the sink and moved to get another cup of coffee.

A heavy sigh escaped Sam. “I know it’s hard, and it sucks that you haven’t found them, but you will. When the time is right, the two of you will meet.”

Dean rolled his eyes at his brother’s optimism. “You know you sound like a fortune cookie, right?”

“Quit being a bitch,” Sam snapped.

“That’s your job, Sammy,” Dean replied, a smirk stretching his lips.

“I can’t believe you’re my brother sometimes,” Sam grumbled. “Life would have been so much easier as an only child.”

Dean took another sip of his coffee and headed back to the living room. He took a seat in his recliner and set the phone on the table, making sure to put Sam on speaker. “More like boring. I make things interesting.”

Sam snorted. “If by interesting you mean getting us into trouble, then sure. I guess you could say that.”

“Whatever. You’re just mad because I could get away with things, and you couldn’t,” Dean said, taking a sip of his coffee.

“No kidding,” Sam said, barking out a laugh. “You’re the reason I broke my arm, and Bobby still yelled at me.”

Dean chuckled and replied, “Well, it was stupid to think that a bedsheet tied around your neck would allow you to fly.”

“I was five, Dean,” Sam exclaimed. “You, as my big brother, should have never dared me to jump off the roof of the house.”

“No, as your big brother, I was inclined to do so.” Dean laughed so hard that he set his mug down, not wanting the coffee to slosh over the sides.

“Keep teasing me, and Eileen and I aren’t going to invite you over for Christmas dinner,” Sam threatened.

Once Dean had his laughter under control, he said, “Yeah, right. You wouldn’t dare. You wouldn’t want Eileen bitching at you because you denied her my famous cherry pie. I swear, that woman gives me a run for my money when it comes to a love of pie.”

Sam sighed. “No kidding. I didn’t think there was a person on this planet who could match your love of pie, but I was wrong. Between the two of you, I’m surprised Charlie’s bakery can keep pies stocked.”

“Just let Red entertain the idea of running out of pies, and I will never go LARPing with her again,” Dean growled.

“Don’t worry, Eileen has already made a similar threat,” Sam said. “She told Charlie that if she ever ran out of pies, Eileen would never play Magic the Gathering with her again.”

Dean shook his head at the thought. “You know, Sammy, I’m surprised your soulmate is so ruthless. Threatening to quit playing Magic with Charlie is just suicide. Even I wouldn’t say such a thing.”

Sam laughed, his voice echoing in the quiet apartment. “Neither would I, neither would I. Anyway, I was calling to see what time you were coming over for Christmas dinner next week. Bobby, Ellen, and Jo will be over around one so Ellen can help with the food. Charlie and Gilda are showing up around three, and Ash and Benny said they’d be here sometime before four.”

Dean took a sip of his coffee. “I guess I’ll be over around ten. That will give me enough time to make the pies and kick your butt in a few rounds of Magic.”

“Pshh, whatever,” Sam scoffed. “You only win because you cheat. Nobody is that lucky, Dean. I’ll figure your secret out one day.”

Dean smirked, amused by how easy it was to tease his brother. “Keep dreaming, Sammy. So, any suggestions on gifts to buy for you and Eileen? I may or may not be procrastinating shopping for presents.”

“What, not you!” Dean rolled his eyes at his brother’s exaggerated gasp. “Since when does my big brother ever procrastinate his Christmas shopping? Oh, I don’t know, maybe every single year.”

“Shut up, bitch. When you become a teacher and have to deal with twenty screaming kids until a week before Christmas, then you can complain. It’s a miracle if I don’t come home and pass out on the couch after work. Little kids are exhausting,” Dean grumbled.

“Well, you chose that career, so quit complaining. There’s no way I could handle that man-.” Sam went silent. After a few seconds, he said, “Hey, I’ve gotta go. Eileen needs my help with something. I’ll see you next week. Love you.”

“Alright, go help the wife, and I’ll see you next week. Love you too, Sammy,” Dean said softly.

“It’s Sam,” his little brother snapped before ending the call. Dean grinned; Sam always had to correct him.

Dean stared at the bottom of his empty coffee cup and decided to get his Christmas shopping done instead of moping around the house. He sat the empty mug in the kitchen sink and then headed to his bedroom to get changed. Dean quickly brushed his teeth and changed into jeans, a henley, and a blue flannel shirt. He grabbed his wallet and keys off his bedside table and shoved them in his pockets before heading to his front door. He slid his feet into his boots and laced the shoes up. Dean grabbed his olive green parka, slipping his arms inside and buttoning it up. He wrapped his bright green scarf around his neck and crammed the matching beanie on his head, making sure to cover his ears.

Dean took a step outside and shivered as a cold wind blew against his face. He stared at the pristine blanket of snow in front of him, rubbing his hands together and blowing on them. He really needed to get a new pair of gloves since one of the kids decided to use his old ones as part of their craft project the week before. Dean walked down the steps and headed to his garage, thankful to have a way to keep his car out of the elements.

“Hey, Baby, did you miss me,” Dean said to his classic nineteen sixty-seven Chevy Impala. He turned her on to warm up while he opened the garage door and shoveled quite a bit of snow away from the driveway. Once Dean had a path cleared, he hurried to get in Baby, sighing in contentment at the toasty warmth of the car’s interior. After a few minutes, Dean’s fingers regained their warmth, no longer feeling like frozen popsicles. He backed Baby out of the garage, shut the garage door, and headed to town.

As Dean cruised along the road that led into town, he glanced out the window, taking in the fluffy, white landscape. From what he could tell, at least three inches of freshly fallen snow covered the ground. Even though Dean didn’t love the cold, he had to admit the snow-covered trees and bright morning sunlight made for a beautiful scene.

Dean grinned when he saw some of his students bundled up in their winter clothes out playing in the snow. He caught sight of some having snowball fights while others were making snow angels and snowmen. Baby, one of the most recognizable cars in town, roared down the road, and many of the children turned and waved as Dean drove by. He slowed down and waved back, finding amusement at watching the kids play. Even most of the parents waved at Dean as they enjoyed frolicking in the snow with their children.

The small and tight-knit community was one of Dean’s favorite things about living in Black Creek, Montana. It was the kind of place where everyone knew each other, and you couldn’t walk down the street without getting a dozen “Hello’s” and “How are you’s?” Like many of the residents, Dean lived on the outskirts of town and commuted for work. He enjoyed the peace and quiet of living in the country, away from the city’s hustle and bustle. Even though Balck Creek was small, it had a thriving economy with just over three thousand residents.

Dean finally pulled into town and decided to head to the shopping center, hoping to get most of his Christmas shopping done in one place. He parked Baby and pulled his phone out to look at the list he had made so far.

Sam- ??? Maybe a new briefcase; his is looking pretty raggedy  
Eileen- ??? Something with cats since she’s a crazy cat lady  
Bobby- Fishing gear  
Ellen- New rifle  
Jo- Jean jacket and those boots she’s sent me like a hundred pics of  
Charlie- Another new set of Harry Potter books  
Gilda- Scents and Soaps gift basket  
Benny- New knife set  
Ash- Beer, peanuts, and some of the good stuff

Dean scrolled through the rest of his list, glad that he had a little more time to find something for Jody, Donna, and the girls. He wouldn’t be heading to Sioux Falls until after Christmas, so he would worry about shopping for them another day. Dean decided to head to the local western store first to get Jo’s gifts.

As he walked across the parking lot, no less than five people called out a quick “Hello” to him. Dean smiled and waved back but didn’t stop to talk, wanting to get inside and out of the cold as fast as possible. He walked inside and looked around.

Dean grinned when he saw who was working behind the front desk. “Hey, Meg, how are you doing?”

The black-haired woman turned and flashed him a haughty smile. “Winchester. What are you doing here? Come by just to annoy me?”

Dean snorted as he came to a stop in front of the checkout counter. “Psh, you wished I thought about you so much.” He pulled his phone out and scrolled through his pictures until he came to one of the boots Jo wanted. He showed the picture to Meg, asking, “You got these in a size eight. Jo has been giving me hint after hint for months now about these damn things.”

Meg glanced at the picture. “Let me go check if we have any on the shelf. I know I’ve got at least one pair in that size in the back.”

“Thanks, Meg. I’ll wait here.”

“Be back in a minute,” Meg said before walking away.

While Dean waited, he glanced around to see if anything caught his eyes. A pair of red and black cowboy boots snatched his attention, and he couldn’t help but check them out. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he saw the price. There was no way Dean would be able to afford them when he still had to buy gifts for everyone.

“Those are pretty nice, huh?” Meg asked from behind him.

Dean set the boot down and turned around. “Yeah, they are, but I can’t afford a pair at the moment. Got all my shopping still to do.”

Meg held out the shoebox and opened it, a pair of turquoise cowboy boots nestled inside. “ Are these what you were looking for?”

Dean nodded his head. “Yep, thanks, Meg. There’s no way I would have been able to find them on my own.” He grabbed the box and tucked it under his arm.

“No problem. You know, I have a special one-time friend and family discount. It allows one friend of my choosing to get any item in the store at fifty percent off. If you want those boots, I’d be willing to let you use it,” Meg said, nodding at the shoes Dean had just been eying.

“What?” Dean’s head snapped up at his friend’s offer. “I can’t ask that of you.”

“You don’t have to,” Meg replied, shrugging her shoulder nonchalantly. “I’m offering it to you. Think of it as my Christmas gift to you.”

Dean frowned. “I don’t have anything to give you in return.”

Meg crossed her arms across her chest, a smile spreading across her cheeks. “Make me one of your cherry pies, and we will call it even.”

Dean beamed at his friend and held his hand out. “Deal!”

Meg shook his hand. “Awesome. What size do you wear?”

“Eleven and a half,” Dean answered.

Meg quickly grabbed Dean’s size and walked behind the checkout counter. “Alright, I will have to ring your boots up separately from Jo’s to be able to use the discount. Is there any more shopping you have to do, or are you ready to check out?”

“I wanted to look through your jackets and see if I can’t find a new one for Jo. Her favorite jean jacket is on its last leg,” Dean explained.

“Oh yeah, I saw her wearing it the other day, and she definitely needs a new one,” Meg said, a grin spreading across her lips. “So, how about you go see if you can find one for her. We’re having a special Christmas sale, so you should get a pretty good price for one.”

“Sure thing,” Dean replied, nodding his head. “Can I leave the other boots here, too?”

“Sure. Hand them over, and I’ll keep them safe behind the counter,” Meg said, reaching her hand out. “Just make sure you don’t take too long. I’ve got better things to do than wait on you.”

“Psh, that’s what you’re being paid for, you demon,” Dean teased, handing the box over. “Thanks again, Meg. I know we rag on each other, but you’re alright, you know that?”

Meg rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. You’re not half bad yourself, Winchester. You tell anybody I said that, and I’ll deny it.”

“My lips are sealed,” Dean said, laughing as he walked away.

He headed to the back wall, where an impressive selection of jackets hung. He searched through the different styles until he found the brand that Jo was fond of. There was one jacket that caught his eye, and he knew Jo would love it. It was a black jean jacket with fringe and a turquoise bead pattern. It would match Jo’s new boots perfectly, and Dean was even more excited to see that it was fifty percent off. He sighed in relief when he managed to find her size, the only medium left on the rack.

Dean walked back to Meg, looking around to see if he saw any more potential gifts. He gasped when he saw a purple leopard print purse with a matching wallet and cosmetic bag. Dean had forgotten that Eileen had mentioned how she needed a new handbag, and he knew she was obsessed with both purple and leopard print. Dean checked the price, and it was more than he intended to spend, but it would be a perfect gift for Eileen. He grabbed it off the shelf without a second thought.

Meg looked up from her phone when she heard his footsteps. “Got everything you need?”

Dean set the jacket and bags on the counter. “I think so. I can cross Jo and Eileen off my shopping list, so that’s a plus.”

“Yeah. I’ve got most of my shopping done. I had it all finished until I met a special someone a few days ago. Did you see my post on Facebook earlier? I found my soulmate,” Meg squealed.

“Yeah, I saw. Congratulations,” Dean replied, trying to make his voice sound cheerier than what he felt. It seemed everyone around him was destined to find their soulmate—everyone but him.

Meg reached out and laid her hand on his, a frown on her face. “Dean, I didn’t mean to be insensitive.”

Dean jerked back, cutting his eyes to the floor. “It's fine,” he grumbled. “I’m happy for you, Meg. Honestly.”

“You don’t seem like it,” she retorted, her arms crossed over her chest.

“Yeah, well, it’s a bitter subject.” A sigh escaped Dean and his shoulders slumped forward. Just because he hadn’t found his soulmate didn’t mean he had to act like a jerk towards those who had. He rubbed his eyes and finally looked at his friend. “I’m sorry, Meg. That was rude of me. I shouldn’t have acted like that. I really am happy for you, and I’d love to meet them sometime.”

A grin was slow to spread across Meg’s lips. “It’s okay. I get it; I do. I’d really love for you to meet her,” Meg said as she rang the items up. “I think you would really like Amy. And Dean, you’ll find that special person.”

“Yeah, I know,” Dean said, not believing the words slipping out of his mouth.

Meg seemed to realize Dean was bluffing. Instead of saying anything more on the subject, she said, “Alright, so the total is going to be three hundred and fifty-two dollars and forty-three cents.”

Dean was surprised by the total. “That price seems low. The purse alone was one fifty.”

“There are lots of discounts we’ve got going on. Because you spent over three hundred, you got a thirty percent discount,” Meg explained. “There’s a sale on the handbags as well.”

“Oh, okay then. I’m not complaining,” Dean said, pulling his wallet out and passing his credit card over. “I’ll gladly save money whenever I can.”

“Yeah, you and me both,” Meg said, chuckling. “Alright, so there’s that purchase. Now, let me ring your boots up, and you’ll be all set.”

After Dean paid for his boots, he grabbed the bags. “Thanks again, Meg. Text me and let me know when you work next, and I’ll make sure to stop by with your pie.”

“Thanks, Dean. Have a Merry Christmas.”

“No problem. Thanks for the discount. Have a Merry Christmas,” Dean said before walking out of the store and dropping his bags off at Baby.

Next, Dean headed to Garth’s Hunting Supplies to get Ellen and Bobby their gifts. Once inside, he grabbed a buggy and strolled to the fishing supplies. He perused the aisles before picking two freshwater rods and a four-drawer tackle box with a complete bait and tackle set. Dean also grabbed a new hat since Bobby’s current one was ratty and filled with holes.

Dean headed to the back of the store, where the guns were displayed in rows along the back wall. He waved at the person behind the counter, having not seen Garth in a few weeks. “Hey, Garth, how’s it going?”

Garth beamed at him as he walked around the counter and pulled Dean into a tight hug. It had taken Dean a while to get used to the man’s hugs, but now, he quietly returned them. Garth pulled away and said, “Long time no see. How’ve you been? How’re the munchkins?”

Dean leaned against the counter, a light chuckle escaping him. “As rowdy and energetic as any small child can be. I love ‘em but glad to be on break and have a few weeks off. How are you and Bess doing?”

“Oh, we’re good, great actually! We just found out some awesome news yesterday,” Garth said, walking back behind the counter.

“Oh, yeah. What’s that?”

“Bess and I are gonna be parents,” Garth said gleefully, a megawatt smile on his face.

“Garth, that’s awesome, man, congratulations! I’m so happy for you guys!” Dean leaned across the counter and clapped the man on his shoulder. “You guys are gonna make excellent parents.”

Garth rubbed at the back of his neck, a blush staining his cheeks red. “Thanks, Dean. We’re nervous with this being our first baby. We’re gonna need all the help we can get.”

“Well, I helped Ellen with Sam when he was a baby, and I’d like to think I’m pretty good with kids,” Dean said, flashing a grin at his friend.

Garth chuckled. “Yeah, I think you can safely say you’re good with kids, Dean. If Bess and I need anything, we’ll be sure to call you.”

Dean nodded his head. “You better.” Dean made sure to keep a smile on his face. He was excited for Garth and Bess, but deep down, he was a little envious. The loneliness Dean had felt that morning was hitting him full-force once more. Dean longed for children of his own, whether they be of his own blood or ones he adopted to give a better life to. Even though Dean had a well-paying job and was financially secure, he knew he couldn’t raise a child on his own. Just one more thing not having a soulmate was keeping him from experiencing.

“Dean, Dean, everything okay?” Garth asked, breaking Dean out of his depressing thoughts.

Dean shook his head. “Yeah, sorry. I zoned out for a moment.”

“Yeah, I could see that,” Garth said, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. “Care to share?”

“Nah, I’m good.” Dean waved him off, and his eyes scanned the rifles behind Garth, desperate to change the subject. “Hey, how much is that rifle?” he asked, pointing to one right behind his friend.

Garth looked over his shoulder. “Oh, that’s a top-of-the-line Savage 12 FV Bolt-Action. You wanna take a look?”

Dean’s lips curved up, and he nodded eagerly. “Definitely.” He checked the rifle over while Garth told him about the details of the gun. It was a great rifle, and Dean knew Ellen would love it. “I’ll take it, Garth.”

“Cool beans. Is there anything else you’re getting, or is that all?”

Dean set the tackle box and fishing poles on the counter, which Garth rang up along with the gun. After he paid for them, he talked to Garth for a few more minutes before heading back out to Baby. He locked his purchases in the trunk and then looked around at the stores, trying to decide where to go next.

He visited Soaps and Scents and put together a large gift basket for Gilda. Her favorite pastime was to spend hours taking bubble baths, and she adored the eco-friendly products from that particular store. Dean walked around a couple of other stores and managed to find a new knife set for Benny to replace his personal set that was stolen from the restaurant he worked at. He bought Sam a new watch, a briefcase, and a bottle of his favorite cologne. He stopped by the smoke shop to pick up Ash’s preferred cannabis and wraps.

Once Dean finished his shopping, he decided to grab a late lunch at the Roadhouse, the bar and grill owned by his Aunt Ellen. Dean walked inside and took his usual third seat at the bar. Within minutes, Jo was walking out and greeting him. “Hey, bro, what ya up to?”

Dean looked up from his phone and smiled. “Hey, sis. I’m good, just getting some Christmas shopping done. I figured I’d stop by and say hi and get my weekly burger fix. How are you, Bobby, and Ellen doing?”

Jo grabbed Dean a bottle of beer and set it on the counter. “We’re good, looking forward to Christmas dinner at Sam’s next week,” Jo said, looking down and studying her fingernails.

“Everything okay?” Dean asked, noticing his adoptive sister’s sudden nervousness. He reached out and placed a hand over Jo’s fidgeting ones. “Jo, you can tell me.”

Jo nibbled on her lip, finally lifting her gaze back to Dean’s. “Please, don’t be upset with me.”

Dean frowned, not understanding what was suddenly wrong. “What are you talking about? Why would I be mad at you?”

“I found my soulmate,” Jo blurted.

“Oh,” Dean said, the word leaving him like a punch to the gut.

“See, you are mad,” Jo cried, pulling her hands away from Dean’s and turning her back to him.

Dean sighed and lent forward to grasp Jo’s shoulder. “I’m not mad. How could I be mad about something like that?”

Jo looked over her shoulder, a couple of tears sparkling on her cheek. “I know how badly you want to find your soulmate and how desperately you’ve been searching—the exact opposite of me. I’ve always said I didn’t care one way or the other if I ever found my soulmate. It’s not fair that I found mine, and you haven’t.”

“It’s okay,” Dean said, forcing a smile to his face. As much as it hurt to know another person in his life had found their soulmate, he would never begrudge Jo. “Jo, I’m not mad that you found your soulmate. I’d be a shitty brother if I were. Not gonna lie; I’m a little jealous, but I’m not mad at you. I could never be angry that you found something that brings you happiness. You are happy, right?”

Jo nodded her head excitedly. “He’s amazing, Dee. We spent the entire afternoon yesterday getting to know one another, and I’m pretty sure I’m already in love. It’s crazy how well we get along. I was going to call Sam and ask if he would mind me bringing Mason to Christmas dinner. His family lives out of state, and he couldn’t afford to go home for the holidays.”

“Jo, bring him. There’s no need for him to spend the holidays alone. Besides, Sam and I have to give him the big brother talk about how if he hurts you, he’s dead meat,” Dean replied, a broad smile on his face as he stared at his sister. Jo might act tough and nonchalant, but he knew how badly she wanted to find her soulmate.

Jo punched Dean lightly in the arm. “You two better not run him off. Mom will hit you both over the head.”

“You bet I will,” Ellen said, walking out of the kitchen.

Dean smiled at his aunt. “Hey, Ellen. Sam and I won’t run him off, but we have to make sure he’s gonna treat our little sister right. Only the best will do.”

Ellen reached out and ruffled Dean’s hair fondly. “Trust me; you’ve got nothing to worry about. Mason is a keeper for sure. Now, are you ordering your usual?”

“Of course! I need my burger fix for the week. And don’t forget the pie,” Dean exclaimed.

Ellen rolled her eyes. “I would never dare to forget the pie. You just might die if I did.” The three of them burst out laughing.

Dean spent an hour talking to Jo and Ellen, glad to be spending time with his adoptive family. His parents had been killed in a car crash when he was six and Sam was two. Bobby and Ellen had been good friends with Mary and John, and they had taken the boys in without hesitation. When Jo was born a year later, Dean had become just as protective of her as he was of Sam. He took his big brother duties very seriously.

While Dean was waiting for Ellen to run his card to pay for lunch, he watched a father and his young son take a seat at one of the booths. Dean smiled at the matching blue sock monkey hats they wore and felt something tighten in his chest. He longed for the day to find a partner and raise a child together. As he watched the two, he found the child adorable and the father quite attractive. Dean sighed under his breath; the good ones were always taken.

When Dean finally left the Roadhouse, he was feeling lighter than he had all morning. Even though he was jealous of Jo having found her soulmate, her giddiness was infectious. Dean had spent the last hour laughing and smiling, forgetting about the loneliness he had felt earlier.

Before he left, Ellen had told him about a new bookshop that opened up a couple of weeks ago. Dean figured he would check it out, hoping they would have the complete set of Harry Potter books for Charlie. The store was only a five-minute walk away, and despite the cold, Dean figured it wasn’t worth driving Baby such a short distance.

A few minutes later, Dean came to a stop outside of The Angelic Book Nook. The store was located on the corner and surrounded by dark gray brick on both sides. Two large three-paned windows allowed passerby to see inside the store. Besides the sign bearing the store’s name, which had giant black angel wings stretching out on either side, there was nothing spectacular about the shop.

Dean walked inside, a bell ringing above his head. As expected, the walls were lined with books, and the left side of the store had shelves filled with books running the entire length of the shop. On the right side of the store were tables advertising new arrivals and any specials the store was running. There were a few comfy chairs and beanbags for patrons to sit on and read if they wished in the back corner. Near the front of the store, next to the checkout counter, there were a few racks with bookmarks, pens and pencils, and other small items.

Dean went to the fantasy section and couldn’t believe the amount of Harry Potter books there was. He had the option of buying the series designed around each of the four houses, the fully illustrated version of the series, or the standard book covers. Dean decided to buy the Hufflepuff edition set because that was Charlie’s house, and he also purchased the illustrated set since she had wanted it for months.

Dean browsed the aisles and picked up a couple of books for himself. The bookstore had a small section of book-themed t-shirts, and Dean had found one that read, “I never dreamed I would grow up to be a crazy book nerd, but here I am killing it.” There was no way he couldn’t buy it for Charlie. He looked around for a few more minutes before walking to the checkout counter.

Dean quickly paid for his purchases and headed towards the exit. Just as he was going to grab the doorknob, the door slammed open, and a little boy ran through it. The boy crashed into Dean’s legs and fell backward, his blue sock monkey hat falling onto the floor next to him. Dean looked down and was surprised to recognize the boy. It was the same kid he had seen in the Roadhouse earlier.

Dean knelt next to the boy, grabbing the hat and holding it out to the child. “Here you go, buddy. I think you dropped this.”

The boy took it and smiled up at Dean. “Thank you. I’m sorry for running into you. Daddy always gets onto me for not looking where I’m going.”

Dean chuckled. “It’s ok. My aunt and uncle used to get onto me for the same thing when I was growing up,” Dean explained, a bright smile on his face. He stood to his feet and then helped the boy to his. He watched as the kid ran off to the back of the store, disappearing behind one of the shelves.

Dean walked out of the store and frowned when a shiver ran through his body. It was later than he realized, and a light snow had started to fall. He crammed his beanie further on his head and wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck while also huddling deeper inside of his jacket. He turned and started to head back to the Roadhouse when he heard a shout behind him. Dean looked over his shoulder to see a man lying on the ground, obviously having slipped on the snow.

Dean dropped his bags and rushed over to help the man. “Hey, buddy, you ok?”

The guy looked up at Dean with a timid smile and the most enchanting blue eyes he had ever seen, reminding Dean of the ocean in the early morning sunlight. Dean felt his throat go dry, and he swiped his tongue across his suddenly parched lips. He thought the man utterly adorable with a blue sock monkey hat on his head, little patches of dark hair sticking out from beneath it. Dean’s eyes went wide when he recognized the man. It was the guy from the Roadhouse and the father of the little boy who had just run into him. Dean held his hand out to help the man to his feet.

“Thank you,” the guy said in a rough gravel voice as he grasped Dean’s hand.

Dean braced himself and leaned backward, pulling the man to his feet. He was surprised at how tall the guy was, only an inch or two shorter than Dean. The man dusted the snow off his trench coat and then looked up, his gaze locking with Dean’s. His lips twitched up in the corners as he continued to stare.

Dean tried to say something, but his brain seemed to have short-circuited, and he couldn’t even open his mouth. Dean could feel the heat on his cheeks from his growing embarrassment, and he dropped his gaze, realizing that he was still holding the guy’s hand. His eyes were drawn to the soulmate mark on the man’s wrist. He could only see part of it, but the part he could see was extremely familiar. Without being too suspicious, Dean slid his thumb against the sleeve of the guy’s trench coat, pushing it back and exposing his soulmate mark completely.

Dean’s eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open. The mark on the man’s wrist was something Dean was intimately familiar with. It was the same mark Dean had been staring at on his own wrist for his entire thirty-two years of life.

Dean looked back at the man and thought him the most handsome person he had ever seen. The guy’s cheeks were a bright red, and his eyes sparkled in the fading light while snow fell around them. Dean reached out and grasped one of the strings of the man’s hat, his gaze locking with the other guy’s, and he whispered, “You’re him. You’re my soulmate.” When the man smiled brightly, his lips and eyes scrunching up, Dean knew he was already in love.

Cas was enjoying a pleasant dream about being curled up by a fireplace reading a book when he was jerked awake by a small body jumping on top of him.

“Daddy! Daddy! Wake up, wake up!”

Cas pushed the blanket off his head and glared at his son, who was currently sitting on his father’s stomach, his little knees bruising Cas’ internal organs. “Good morning, Jack. Is there a reason you’re up so early and jumping in my bed?”

Jack giggled, not understanding his father’s clipped voice. “I had to pee, and I couldn’t fall back asleep. Plus, I’m hungry! Can you fix us pancakes with the chocolate chips in them?”

Cas looked at the clock on his nightstand and groaned. It wasn’t even seven yet, and he had gone to bed late the previous night, working on his manuscript. It looked like coffee would be necessary this morning if he planned on making it through the day. Cas focused back on Jack, who was wriggling in his lap with excitement at the prospect of getting his favorite breakfast. Cas suddenly reached out and started tickling his son, causing Jack to burst into laughter. “Here comes the tickle monster!”

“Daddy, no! No, stop,” Jack cried, his whole body curling in on itself. Tears sprung to his eyes, and his giggles got even louder as Cas continued to tickle him. “No more, tickle monster, no more!”

Cas took mercy on his son and quit tickling him, wrapping him up in a hug instead. “Alright, monkey, nor more tickle monster. Did you wash your hands after you used the potty?”

Jack had a big grin on his face and nodded his head. “Yep, just like you showed me! I also made sure to clean up the mess like you showed me, and I left the towel hanging on the bar. Did I do good, Daddy?”

Cas hugged his son tighter and swiped Jack’s dark blonde hair away from his eyes before kissing his forehead. “You do so well, my little monkey. Daddy is very proud of you. Alright, how about you go turn the TV on and watch cartoons while Daddy gets breakfast ready?”

“Can I help you make breakfast?” Jack asked, looking at his father with large, pleading blue eyes.

Cas sighed, knowing if he let Jack help, there would be a mess to clean up afterward. As he stared at his son’s wide eyes and quivering lower lip, his resolve crumbled. “Alright, you can help make breakfast. I’ve got to go to the bathroom real quick. You wait for me here, and I’ll be right back.”

Jack scrambled out of Cas’ lap and then grabbed a small book off of the nightstand. “I’m gonna look at Cwifford while you’re gone.”

“Cliff-ord,” Cas corrected softly.

“Cwifford,” Jack cried, eagerly opening the book.

Cas’ lips turned up in the corners at his son’s enthusiasm and a slight lisp. He ruffled Jack’s hair, then hurried to the bathroom. After taking care of his business, Cas washed his hands and donned his favorite robe, which was a soft cream color and covered in lots of fat bumblebees. “Alright, monkey, we’ve got chocolate chip pancakes to make!”

Jack set his book back on the nightstand and then jumped into his daddy’s outstretched arms. “Yay! Pancakes! Pancakes!”

Cas held Jack in his arms and said, “All passengers, the plane is ready for takeoff. Buckle your seatbelt and hold on tight!”

Jack giggled; playing airplanes was one of his favorite games. He stretched his arms in front of him and made a clicking sound. “I’m buckled in, Daddy! Let’s fly!”

Cas made “whooshing” sounds while he carried Jack down the hallway to the kitchen. As he walked, he made sure to duck and swerve, Jack’s excited giggles bringing a smile to his face. While being a single parent was hard work and often left Cas exhausted by the end of the night, he wouldn’t trade his son for all the money in the world. Jack owned his heart and filled his life with love, laughter, and fun.

“Alright, the plane is coming to a landing,” Cas announced when he walked into the kitchen. He came to a stop next to the coffee maker and gently placed Jack on the floor. “Grab your stool from the closet.” He watched Jack scamper off and then grabbed a k-cup from the cabinet and set it inside his Keurig. Cas pressed a button and sighed in contentment at hearing the machine start to warm up.

“Daddy, I have my stool,” Jack cried, carrying the colorful, plastic stool in his arms. Cas watched in amusement as Jack stopped next to the sink, unfolded the stool, and then stepped on top of it. He looked back at Cas and said, “C’mon, Daddy, get the bowl and pancake mix out.”

Cas pushed off from the counter he was leaning against. He grabbed the countertop griddle from one of the cabinets and plugged it in to preheat, making sure it was far enough away from Jack so the boy couldn’t reach it. He then placed a bowl, a measuring cup, and a whisk on the counter before going to the pantry to get the pancake mix. “Jack, you want any eggs this morning or just pancakes,” Cas asked as he placed the box on the counter.

Jack beat his fists against the counter and jumped up and down on the stool. “Pancakes, pancakes!”

“Just pancakes it is, then,” Cas announced. He measured out the mix in the measuring cup and handed it to his son. “Here, monkey, pour this into the bowl.” He watched Jack pour the pancake mix into the bowl and was surprised when most of the mix ended up in the bowl rather than on the counter. Jack handed the measuring cup back to his daddy so that Cas could fill it with water. This time, Jack wasn’t as successful, and about a quarter of the water ended up on the countertop.

Jack looked at his father, a frown on his face. “I’m sorry, Daddy. I made a mess.”

Cas grabbed a dishtowel and quickly wiped up the water before it could drip onto the floor. “It’s ok, monkey. Nothing that can’t be cleaned up,” Cas said, ruffling Jack’s hair. He handed Jack the whisk. “Here, mix the batter so that we can get these pancakes on the griddle. I heard a little boy is hungry and really wants these for breakfast.”

The frown was quickly replaced with a bright smile as Jack grabbed the whisk. Cas left him to mix the batter while he poured a cup of coffee into his favorite bee mug. He held the warm cup between his hands and inhaled a deep whiff of the cinnamon bun flavored coffee. Cas took a small sip, and his eyes fluttered shut as the warmth spread through his body.

Cas jerked his head up when Jack proudly announced, “Daddy, the batter is all mixed.” Jack held the whisk over the counter, and Cas mentally groaned at the puddle of batter already forming. He snorted at the flecks of pancake batter that dotted Jack’s cheeks and the chocolate chip that was sitting precariously on the tip of his nose.

Cas took another sip of his coffee before setting the mug on the counter and walking to his son. He looked in the bowl and saw lots of clumps of dry pancake mix. “You did a great job, monkey. How about we get you cleaned up, and then you can watch cartoons while I cook the pancakes?”

“Yay,” Jack cried, dropping the whisk on the counter and jumping off his stool.

“Hold on, gotta wipe your face before you plant yourself in front of the TV,” Cas said, barely managing to grab Jack before he dashed out of the kitchen. He ripped a paper towel from the roll, wet it, and wiped the batter and chocolate chip off Jack’s face.

The little boy was jumping on the balls of his feet, making it hard for Cas to wipe his face off completely. “Daddy, hurry up! I want to watch cartoons!”

“Jack, quit squirming. You’re making this harder than it has to be,” Cas snapped.

Jack instantly stilled. “Sorry, Daddy.”

Cas’ face softened, and he wiped the last of the dough off Jack’s cheek. “It’s ok, monkey. You’re all clean. You can go watch your cartoons while I finish up in here.”

“I love you, Daddy,” Jack said, giving Cas a quick hug before running into the living room.

“Love you, too,” Cas called. He spent the next few minutes drinking his coffee and making pancakes. Once he had a plate stacked high with over half a dozen flapjacks, Cas set the table, making sure to grab the syrup, butter, and milk. He put Jack’s stool back in the closet, then poured a cup of milk for his son. He put the cup next to Jack’s plate, far enough away that he wouldn’t knock it over by accident. Cas put two pancakes on Jack’s plate, buttered them, cut them into small pieces, and then drizzled syrup on top. “Jack, breakfast is ready.”

A few seconds later, Jack ran into the kitchen, yelling, “Pancakes! Pancakes!”

Cas watched, a slight grin on his face, as Jack climbed into his seat and eagerly dug into his breakfast. By the third bite, Jack’s lips and cheeks were already sticky with maple syrup. Cas fixed his own plate and then took a seat at the table, enjoying chocolate chip pancakes with his son. When Cas and Jack pushed their plates away, their bellies were stuffed, and there was only a single pancake left. Jack had surprisingly scarfed down three, and even Cas had managed to eat four.

Cas drank the last of his coffee while Jack finished his milk. “Alright, monkey, let’s get your face and hands cleaned, then you can watch some more cartoons while I get the dishes done.”

After Jack was no longer sticky and was occupied in front of the TV once more, Cas worked on getting the kitchen cleaned. He finished washing the dishes and wiping the table off, then made himself another cup of coffee and joined Jack in the living room. He settled on the couch and asked, “What are you watching, monkey?”

Jack was enraptured by the TV show he was watching, but he did answer Cas. “It’s T.O.T.S, Daddy, the one with the fwamingo and pwenguin who deliver baby aminals.”

Cas nodded his head. “Ah, yes, now I remember. What is happening?”

“Shh, Daddy, I can’t hear,” Jack said, waving his hand at Cas to be quiet.

Cas took a sip of his coffee and grinned. “Sorry, monkey, I’ll be quiet.” Cas pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked his emails. He had a message from his editor reminding him that his newest manuscript was due by January fifth. He also had a few business emails but nothing that couldn’t wait until after the holidays.

Cas’ phone started ringing, and Jack glared at him from over his shoulder. Cas stood to his feet, whispered, “Sorry,” and walked into the kitchen. He swiped his thumb across the screen and held the phone to his ear. “Good morning, Gabe.”

“Hey, Cassie, morning. What are you doing? How’s my favorite nephew? Did you guys get any snow? Am I still good to visit after Christmas?” Gabe asked rapid-fire, not giving Cas time to answer a question before asking another one.

Cas sighed, accustomed to his brother’s enthusiasm. Even when Gabe wasn’t hyped up on sugar, he acted more like a five-year-old rather than the thirty-five-year-old he was. “Gabe, slow down,” Cas chastised, effectively shutting his brother up. “Jack and I just finished breakfast, and now he’s watching cartoons. He’s fine, although he does miss his Uncle Gabe and can’t wait for you to come to visit in a couple of weeks. Honestly, I’m not sure if it snowed or not. I haven’t even looked outside.”

“Well, go check! What are you waiting for?” Gabe cried.

Cas rolled his eyes and started walking towards his front door. “Why do you care if it snowed? You live three states away.”

“Yeah, but I’ll be visiting in a couple of weeks, remember,” Gabe reminded his brother. “I need to know how to pack. I don’t want to show up in shorts and sandals if there are a few inches of snow on the ground.”

“I guess you have a point.” Cas unlocked the door and opened it. He gasped at the blanket of snow that covered his car and front yard. The trees had giant clumps of white in the branches, and the small pond next to his house was frozen over, the sunlight casting mini rainbows off its surface. Cas looked at the scene with awe. “Gabe, it’s like a winter wonderland,” he said, his breath forming little clouds in the air.

“Well, I guess you guys got snow then, huh?”

Cas nodded dumbly, unable to take his eyes off the picturesque landscape in front of him. He was thirty-three years old and had never seen snow before. His old home in southern New Mexico had been so warm that even frost rarely formed on the ground.

Cas had moved away from New Mexico for a handful of reasons; the most prominent was to get away from his parents and eldest brother. He came from a wealthy family, and his parents had dictated his entire life. Cas had dressed in khakis and sweater vests from elementary school through high school because his parents had refused to let him wear anything else. He took all AP courses and dual-enrolled in high school because his parents wanted to ensure he would get into a top college. He had attended New Mexico State University and received his undergraduate degree in business because his parents wouldn’t pay for his tuition otherwise. Cas was then forced to earn a Master’s of Business Administration and a Master’s in Management, or else his parents would have fired him from their company without a second thought.

Five and a half years ago, Cas’ entire world was turned upside down when his girlfriend at the time revealed that she was pregnant with his child. They had only been dating for six months, and talks of marriage and kids hadn’t even occurred. Ellie hadn’t been Cas’ soulmate, but he had loved her dearly and had been over the moon when he found out she was expecting. When Cas’ parents learned of the news, they had given him two options- leave Ellie or leave the family. Chuck and Naomi were obsessed with their social image, and they refused to have a grandchild that wasn’t produced by a union of soulmates.

It hadn’t been a hard decision for Cas to make. He had quit his job, packed up his belongings, and moved into Ellie’s apartment within the span of a few days. When Cas received an official letter a week later from his parents’ lawyer stating he had been written out of their will and was no longer considered part of the family, he had shed a few tears and quickly moved on. He still had his two brothers, Michael and Gabe, and that’s all that mattered to him.

Cas and Ellie started preparing for their baby, and they couldn’t have been happier. Cas had gotten a job at a bookstore, and for the first time, actually enjoyed his work. Although he no longer had his family’s money, he and Ellie managed to make ends meet. When they got home from their jobs, they would work on getting the nursery set up for their future child. Ellie’s pregnancy had been difficult, and Cas had been exhausted trying to get the house prepared, but he had flourished into his own person without his parents hovering over his shoulder.

Finally, the day came for Ellie to go into labor. Cas called Gabe and Michael in a panic when her water broke, and it was their calming words that kept him from losing his mind. He rushed Ellie to the hospital, and ten hours later, Jack Elliot Novak was born. Cas had been holding Jack for the first time when Ellie’s monitors had started going crazy. Doctors and nurses flooded into the room, and Cas watched with horror as they did everything they could to save Ellie, but it was no use. She passed away from internal bleeding, and Castiel was left a single parent.

The next few weeks had been a blur for Cas. He was caught in a roller coaster of grief for his lost girlfriend and exhaustion because of his growing infant. If it hadn’t been for Michael and Gabriel, Cas wasn’t sure he would have made it. They took care of Ellie’s funeral preparations and babysat Jack when Cas’ grief became too much. When the funeral finally came, all Cas remembered were the fond words for Ellie and watching her casket get lowered into the ground next to her parents.

After the funeral, Cas took a month off work to come to terms with Ellie’s death and bond with his newborn son. While he missed Ellie dearly, Jack filled his days with smiles and laughter, aiding Cas in moving on. Not wanting his brother to be alone, Gabe had insisted that Cas move out of Ellie’s apartment and into his house. Having Gabe to help out with Jack, especially on the bad days, was a blessing in disguise. Although Cas still missed Ellie terribly by the time he returned to work, he had adjusted to his new life of being a single dad.

A few months later, Michael had stopped by to visit Cas and Jack to check in on them. While Jack lay on the floor, playing in his baby gym, Cas told his brother that he had started on a manuscript and was thinking about opening his own bookstore if his book made enough profit. Michael had scoffed at the idea and told Cas he was insane. He told Cas that he thought the best thing his brother could do would be to put Jack up for adoption and come back to work at their parents’ company. It was apparent Cas couldn’t raise Jack on his own, and ever since he had left the company, he had struggled to make ends meet. Cas had been appalled at Michael’s suggestion and had demanded he leave that instant. Michael had sneered and told Cas that he would walk out the door if his brother didn’t do as he said. Cas had made sure to slam the door behind Michael’s back as he walked to his car.

Refusing to listen to Michael, Cas had continued to work on his manuscript. Two years later, his book was at the top of the best sellers list and the most sought out book of the year in the children’s fantasy genre. The sequel was released two years later and was even more popular than its predecessor. With the money from his books, Cas finally had enough to start looking for a place to open his bookshop. He had always dreamed of living in Montana, and when he had stumbled upon the small town of Black Creek, he had instantly fallen in love. The small, tight-knit community and the beautiful scenery were everything Cas had hoped for. It took months to renovate the old ice cream parlor into a new age but comfy bookshop, but the time and effort had been worth it. The Angelic Book Nook was thriving, and Jack and Cas loved their new home, although they hated that Uncle Gabe was so far away now.

Cas continued to stare at the snow-covered landscape in front of him, having never seen anything so beautiful. He was itching to grab his camera and take pictures, wanting to capture such exquisite beauty. “Gabe, I can’t put into words how stunning it is. The way the sun is hitting the ice and snow and making little rainbows and the way the snow looks so soft and fluffy, it’s just mesmerizing.”

Gabe chuckled and said, “I can’t wait to see it. So, what are your plans for the day?”

Cas shut the door and walked back to the kitchen to set his now empty coffee cup in the sink. “I’m sure that Jack will want to play in the snow, so we will probably do that for an hour or two. Then we will head into town so I can enroll Jack in school and then grab some lunch and do a little Christmas shopping. What’s on your agenda for the day.”

“I’ve got some business to take care of, and then I figured I’d get my shopping done as well. I might go to the bar tonight,” Gabe replied.

“Don’t get too drunk unless you’re going with a friend who will drive you home,” Cas warned.

“I won’t, I promise. Anyway, I have to go. I’ve got a meeting in an hour. I’ll talk to you later and tell my favorite nephew I love him,” Gabe said.

“Good luck at your meeting, and I will give Jack your love. I love you too,” Cas said, a smile stretching his lips.

“Love you, little bro,” Gabe said and then ended the call.

Cas slid his phone back into his pocket with a sigh. He loved living in Montana and was glad his business was already booming, but he missed his older brother terribly. Gabe was the only family he had left and had been his rock ever since Ellie died. Without Gabe, Cas wasn’t sure where he and Jack would be.

Cas checked on Jack before going to his bedroom to grab his camera. He stood on his porch and took a couple dozen pictures, ensuring he didn’t miss a single thing. Just as he was heading back inside, Jack came running down the hall, crashing into Cas’ legs.

Jack fell on his butt and looked up at his father with a wide grin. “Hi, Daddy.”

Cas barely managed to keep from dropping his camera and looked down at his son sternly. “What have I told you about watching where you’re going? I nearly dropped my camera, Jack.”

Instantly, tears started forming in the corners of the young boy’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Daddy, I didn’t mean to! Please don’t be mad at me.”

Cas set the camera in the nearby rocking chair before kneeling in front of his distraught son. “Hey, I’m not mad, monkey. I just want you to be careful, so you don’t break something. That’s all.” He reached out and wiped the tears that had rolled down Jack’s cheeks. “How about we go get bundled up and then come play out in the snow for a little bit? We can make a snowman like you’ve been wanting.”

Jack jumped to his feet, shouting, “Yeah! Let’s make snowmen! Oh, and we can make snow angels and have a snowball fight!”

“Absolutely,” Cas said, nodding his head.

Jack, in his excitement, ran past Cas and into the front yard. Cas hurried after his son and picked him up, wrapping his arms around him. “Jack, you don’t have any shoes on, silly. You’ll catch a cold, and then you won’t be able to play or have fun on Christmas. Let’s go get changed; then we can come outside and play.”

Jack shivered, the cold already seeping into his tiny body. “Alright, Daddy, but let’s hurry before all the snow melts.”

“It won’t melt that quickly, monkey. We’ve got plenty of time,” Cas said, grabbing his camera and walking back inside.

Getting Jack’s teeth brushed and bundling him in enough layers to keep him warm was a challenge because of how excited he was to go play in the snow. He couldn’t seem to stand still, bouncing up and down the entire time Cas was trying to get him dressed. Cas had to take a deep breath and let it out slowly; otherwise, he was going to scream. He heaved a sigh of relief when he finally got Jack dressed. “Ok, monkey, let me go get changed, and then we will head outside. Do not go outside without me, understand?”

Jack nodded his head. “Yes, Daddy. I know I’m not allowed outside by myself. Please hurry!”

Cas ruffled Jack’s hair and hurried off to his room. When he returned, Jack was staring out of his window, his small body vibrating with excitement. He turned his head when he heard Cas’ footsteps. “Daddy, are you ready?”

“Yep, let’s go play!”

“Yay,” Jack cried. He grabbed Cas’ hand and rushed out of his room, his dad stumbling behind him. Jack threw the front door open and sprinted down the stairs, eagerly jumping into the snow, his eyes growing big as it crunched underneath his feet and stuck to his clothes. He grabbed handfuls of the snow and threw it above his head, watching in wonder as it fell around him. “Look, Daddy, I’m making it snow!”

“Yes, you are,” Cas replied, smiling at his son’s antics. “How about we make some snow angels?”

Jack stopped throwing snow, ran up to his dad, and clutched his hand, dragging him down the stairs. “C’mon, Daddy, let’s make snow angels!”

Cas chuckled and allowed Jack to pull him into the front yard. “I’m coming; I’m coming.”

Jack stopped and looked at Cas. “What do we do, Daddy?”

“First, we have to lay down on our backs,” Cas instructed.

Jack quickly dropped to the ground and rolled onto his back. “Now what?”

“Now, we’re going to move our arms up and down while moving our legs outwards and then closing them back together,” Cas explained, making the motions so Jack could understand what he was saying.

Jack watched him for a few seconds and then said, “I wanna try!”

Cas smiled softly at his son. “Go ahead, monkey. Let’s see what you can do.”

Jack started sliding his arms up and down and moving his legs outwards and back as quickly as he could. Cas had to raise a hand in front of his face to avoid getting hit by flying snow. He peeked between his fingers and burst out laughing. Jack was covered in snow, and his angel looked more like a giant blob than an actual angel. Jack stood up to look at his angel and frowned. “Daddy, it doesn’t look like an angel.”

Cas hugged his son. “I think you got a little too excited. You should go a little slower so your angel doesn’t get messed up. Like this,” Cas said, laying down and going through the motions of making an angel. He stood to his feet and looked at his angel, quite proud of how good it came out since it was his first one ever. “See, monkey, you went too fast. Want to try it again?”

“Yeah,” Jack cried. He fell back into the snow and made another snow angel, this time going much slower than he had the first time. When he looked at his second angel, he puffed up with pride. “Look, Daddy, I made an angel!”

“You sure did!” Cas wrapped his arms around Jack’s waist and pressed a fat kiss to his cheek. “This one looks a lot better than the other one. Now, how about we build a snowman? I bought carrots, a hat, and a scarf just for the occasion.”

Jack started jumping up and down, his angel all but forgotten. “C’mon, Daddy, let’s build a snowman! Go get the stuff, go get the stuff!”

“Alright, alright. Come stand on the porch while I get everything,” Cas said, grabbing Jack’s hand.

Jack followed Cas onto the porch and impatiently waited for his dad to grab the supplies. When Cas walked back out, Jack stared at him, a frown on his face. “What took you so long? You were gone for like an hour!”

Cas tilted his head. “I was only gone for a few minutes. I think you’re just exaggerating.”

Similar to his dad, Jack cocked his head. “What does exgaggerate mean?”

“It means you’re making it seem like I was gone longer than I really was. Now, let’s go build us a snowman,” Cas said excitedly.

“Yeah!”

They spent the next half-hour building the perfect snowman. Cas let Jack help roll the snow into a ball that was bigger than him for the snowman’s bottom. Cas made sure the ball was as perfectly round as it could be before they worked on the snowman’s middle. Jack wanted to make that ball even bigger than the first, and Cas had to explain why it had to be smaller. Once they had the second ball made and packed tightly, Cas lifted it on top of the first ball. He then let Jack roll the snowman’s head all by himself before rounding it out and putting it on top of the other two balls of snow.

“Alright, Jack, we need to go find a couple of sticks for his arms and some rocks for his eyes and buttons,” Cas said.

They did a quick search and found two sticks from under one of the trees and found a handful of rocks by the pond. They stuck the sticks on either side of the snowman’s middle and made a smiley face and a row of buttons with the stones. Cas wrapped the scarf around the snowman’s neck, then let Jack put the hat on the top of his head and stick the carrot on his face.

The two looked at their creation proudly. Cas glanced down at his son, who had a huge toothy smile on his face. “Awesome job, monkey! Best snowman ever! Give me a high-five!”

Jack clapped his hand against Cas’, shouting, “We made a snowman! We made a snowman!”

“We sure did. What do you want to do now?” Cas asked.

Jack was silent for a few seconds. “Can we go make hot chocolate and then go Christmas shopping? I’m getting cold, Daddy.”

Cas was instantly concerned at Jack’s mention of being cold. “C’mon, monkey. Let’s go inside and get you warmed up, and then we can absolutely go do some shopping.” They headed back inside, taking off their jackets and boots so they didn’t track snow into the house.

Jack looked at Cas with large eyes. “Daddy, can I play on my tablet while you make the hot chocolate?”

Cas, a sucker for the puppy dog eyes his child had perfected, nodded his head. “Yes, you can.” He barely managed to grab Jack’s hat and mittens before he ran towards the living room. Cas hung the jackets up, straightened their shoes, and set the rest of their clothes on the small table. He headed into the kitchen, checking on Jack as he passed by the living room. Jack had already pulled his tablet out and was engrossed with one of his games.

While Cas waited for the milk to boil, he checked his Facebook, the only type of social media he had. His feed was primarily pictures and videos of cats, bees, and other animals. Cas had thought about getting a cat once he and Jack were better settled in. He knew Jack would love the idea, the avid animal lover he was.

Once the milk was heated up enough, Cas pulled the pan off the burner and split the milk between two mugs. He poured a packet of peppermint mix in his cup and a double chocolate mix in Jack’s. He then added mini marshmallows to Jack’s cup. He had learned a while ago that Jack would only put the small marshmallows in his hot chocolate, complaining that the bigger ones got too soggy.

After they finished their hot chocolate, Cas and Jack bundled back up and headed into town. Their first stop was the elementary school so Cas could get Jack enrolled for the spring term. He was worried the school might be closed because of winter break, but he was in luck; a receptionist was manning the front desk.

The woman looked up and smiled brightly at them. As she spoke, she moved her hands, and Cas realized that she was deaf. He watched her eyes widen in surprise when he signed back, telling her, “Hello. How are you doing?”

“I’m good. I must say it is a surprise to meet someone who knows sign language,” the woman signed.

Cas grinned. “I understand. I took sign language as an elective during college and have made sure to keep up with it. I’ve even taught my son. He’s a pretty quick learner, aren’t you, Jack?”

Jack, who had been watching his dad the entire time, signed back, “Yep! I like it when Daddy shows me new things.” Jack focused on the woman, a large smile on his face. “Hello, I’m Jack; what’s your name?”

The woman leaned forward so she could make sure Jack could see her. “Nice to meet you, Jack. I’m Eileen. What can I do for you and your Daddy?”

Jack, enthusiastic as always, started jumping up and down, attempting to sign at the same time. “We just moved here, and Daddy wants to sign me up to go to school. I love school, and I’ve missed it!”

Eileen flashed a grin at the bouncing child. “Well, it’s nice to see someone who loves school and can’t wait for it to start back. I think I can manage to help your daddy get you set up here.” She pulled out a few forms and handed them over to Cas. “If you will just fill these out for me, we can get Jack enrolled. If you have any questions, just let me know.”

“Thank you,” Cas said. While he filled out the paperwork, Eileen showed Jack the large aquarium sitting along the back wall. Cas smiled to himself when he heard Jack pointing out the fish he knew, and from the sounds of it, he knew most of them. When they were done looking at the fish, Cas handed the forms back to Eileen.

Eileen looked it over, and her eyes lit up. “Thank you, Mr., uh, Novak. Oh, Jack is in kindergarten. His teacher will be my brother-in-law, Dean. Jack will absolutely adore him, I promise. Dean is great at his job and will make sure Jack feels right at home from day one!”

Cas felt some of his fears melt away. While Jack loved school, it was always scary to be the new student, and Cas felt better knowing Jack would have a good teacher. He talked to Eileen for a few minutes before saying goodbye and heading back out to his car.

“Alright, monkey, you ready to go do some shopping?” Cas asked as he buckled Jack into his booster seat.

“Yeah! We got to get Uncle Gabe some presents, and I have to get you some presents, but you can’t know what I get you,” Jack replied.

Cas chuckled. “And how do you plan on keeping me from seeing whatever you get me?”

Jack was silent, thinking hard. “Hmm, what if the people bagged them up and then you paid for the presents? That way, you wouldn’t see them, and when Uncle Gabe comes to visit, he can wrap them for me.”

Cas shook his head, amazed by how ingenious his son could be. He ruffled Jack’s hair and said, “When did my little boy get so smart? I think that’s a great idea!”

Jack puffed up in his seat, soaking up his father’s praise. Cas pressed a kiss to his forehead and then shut the door and slid into the driver’s seat. They drove to the small shopping plaza in the center of town, Cas hoping they would be able to get all of their shopping done that day. Thankfully, his list wasn’t very long. Besides Jack and Gabe, there were a few friends back home and his single shop employee, Kevin, that he had to buy gifts for. Even though Cas had been in town for nearly a month, he had been busy with the store and hadn’t made more than a few acquaintances. While Jack was bubbly and outgoing, Cas was much more reserved and found it difficult to form friendships.

As Jack and Cas walked towards one of the stores, Cas was surprised at the number of people who greeted him and was even more surprised by how many knew his name. He was startled at first, having grown up in a vast city where he often felt alone even though thousands of people surrounded him. Cas felt a warmth growing in his chest, and he decided that he loved living in a small town like Black Creek.

Cas and Jack spent the next few hours strolling from store to store, purchasing gifts for their friends and family. Every check-out clerk found Jack adorable and had no problem wrapping the gift he picked out for Cas before they let his dad pay for it. Cas even managed to get a few presents for Jack without the boy seeing them. When they finally headed back to the car, their arms were laden with bags, and Cas’ wallet was quite a bit lighter.

Once the bags were loaded into the trunk of Cas’ car, he turned to his son. “You hungry?”

Jack nodded his head. “Yeah.”

“Kevin, the guy I hired to work at the store, says there’s a restaurant not far from here called the Roadhouse, and it’s the best place in town to eat. What do you say to giving it a shot?” Cas asked.

“Yeah, let’s give it a shot,” Jack exclaimed.

Ten minutes later, they pulled up outside the Roadhouse. It looked like any typical steakhouse, and Cas hoped the food was as good as Kevin said it was. They headed inside and were immediately greeted by a young blonde-haired girl.

“Hey there, I’m Jo. Is it just the two of you?”

“Yes, just us,” Cas replied. “Could we have a booth, please? Jack says they are more comfortable than sitting at a table.”

The girl laughed and grabbed a regular menu for Cas and a kid’s menu and crayons for Jack. She looked at Jack and said, “You know what, you’re totally right. They are more comfortable. If you’ll follow me.”

As they trailed behind Jo, Cas saw a man standing next to the cash register. He couldn’t help but notice how handsome the man was. He was tall, probably taller than Cas’ own six feet, and had dirty blonde hair, a strong jaw, and luscious lips. Cas felt his heart rate accelerate, and his mouth went dry as he continued to stare at the man. The man was looking at them and graced them with a dazzling smile. Cas gulped and quickly dropped his gaze. He felt a blush spreading across his cheeks, and he cursed his social awkwardness. The guy was just being polite, and Cas couldn’t even return the smile. He didn’t look up until he and Jack were seated at a booth, and by then, the stranger was gone.

Cas sighed and dropped his gaze to his right wrist, where his soulmate mark could be seen peeking out from under his trench coat. Cas rubbed his thumb over the book and cherry pie. He knew the book represented his love of reading and could only assume his soulmate was a big fan of pie, especially cherry. Cas looked at Jack, whose mark wouldn’t appear until his sixteenth birthday, and thought about Ellie’s mark, which had been a rainbow arcing over a soccer ball. Cas had loved Ellie, but locked away in a small corner of his heart was the hope of one day finding his soulmate. Cas scoffed under his breath. He was thirty-four and a single father, his hope of finding his other half had been all but extinguished.

Jack’s, “Daddy, can I get chicken tenders and french fries?” broke Cas from his musings.

Cas smiled at his son, pushing the depressing thoughts to the back of his mind. “Of course you can, monkey.”

Kevin had not been lying as it turned out. Cas’ bacon cheeseburger was one of the best things he had ever put in his mouth, and he was sorry to see the last bite disappear. Jack, who ate chicken tenders at least four times a week, even commented on how good the Roadhouse’s were.

“Daddy, can we stop by the bookstore and see if my books came in?” Jack asked while they walked back to the car.

Cas buckled Jack in his booster seat and kissed his forehead. “Sure, monkey. I can check with Kevin and make sure everything is running smoothly and see if that shipment of new arrivals came in.”

If Cas had realized how close the bookstore was, he wouldn’t have driven his car the short five-minute drive. Before he could open his door, Jack was already unbuckling his seatbelt and jumping out of the vehicle. Cas threw his door open and hollered, “Be careful and watch where you’re going!” He watched as Jack ran down the sidewalk and into the shop, shaking his head at how similar Jack was to himself. Cas was always just as eager at the prospect of getting a new book.

Cas stood from his seat and locked the door behind him before taking a careful step onto the sidewalk, not wanting to slip on the snow that was starting to fall. As luck would have it, his foot touched the concrete and shot out from underneath of him. Cas fell to the ground with a loud shout, throwing his hands out just in time to keep his face from cracking on the sidewalk. He laid there, trying to catch his breath and take stock of his body. His hands and knees hurt, but otherwise, he felt okay, nothing broken at least.

Cas wasn’t even aware of somebody standing next to him until he heard someone ask, “Hey, buddy, you ok?”

Cas looked up, a small smile on his face, and barely managed not to gasp aloud. The man standing above him was familiar, and Cas realized he was the guy from the Roadhouse. Cas had thought the man good-looking before, but he was wrong. Now that Cas could see his face up close, he realized that the man was gorgeous, Adonis come to life. His eyes were a stunning emerald green and were surrounded by a splattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks. His voice was low and soothing, like water trickling over rocks, and Cas could listen to him talk all day and never tire of hearing it.

Cas took the hand the man offered, softly saying, “Thank you.”

Once Cas was firmly on his feet, he used his free hand to wipe the snow from his jacket and righted his hat on top of his head. He suddenly felt embarrassed to be wearing the blue sock monkey hat, but when Jack had begged for them to match and had pulled out the puppy dog face, Cas was unable to say no. Cas slowly lifted his eyes, his gaze locking with the other man’s. He smiled at seeing a blush spreading across the guy’s cheeks, happy to know he wasn’t the only one affected.

Cas became acutely aware that the guy was still holding his hand when the man dropped his gaze and softly rubbed his thumb against Cas’ wrist. Cas watched as the man’s eyes grew as large as saucers and his mouth dropped open. When the guy looked back at Cas, he thought the stranger was the most handsome man he had ever seen.

Cas would remember this moment for the rest of his life, the gorgeous man standing in front of him and the snow falling around them like a cheesy scene in a rom-com. The man slowly reached out and grasped one of the strings of his hat, giving it a gentle tug. His eyes locked with Cas’, and he whispered, “You’re him. You’re my soulmate.” Cas’ lips spread in a large smile, showing his teeth and scrunching his eyes and nose. He had dreamed for years to hear those words whispered to him. As he stared at the man in front of him, Cas knew he was already falling in love.


	2. First Dates and Christmas Morning

Dean and Cas continued to stare at each other until a car horn blaring behind them broke them from the moment. Cas jerked his hand out of Dean’s, the blush staining his cheeks intensifying. “I’m-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare,” Cas said softly, dropping his gaze to his feet.

“Well, I should apologize too. I was doing just as much staring,” Dean said, a cheeky smile stretching his lips. He stared at Cas, the smile disappearing when the other man continued to stare at his feet, “Is the ground really that interesting?” Dean asked.

Cas shook his head, still refusing to look up. “Um, no, not really, but I’m not all that great with situations like this. I find talking to strangers very hard to do.”

Dean reached out and gently lifted Cas’ chin. “I think I can remedy that. My name is Dean Winchester. I'm an Aquarius; I enjoy sunsets, long walks in the snow, and cute brunettes with gorgeous blue eyes.”

If it was possible, Cas’ cheeks were going to melt with how warm they were turning. He had never blushed so much in his life, and he had only known this stranger-no, Dean- for a few minutes. “Hello, Dean. My name is, uh, Castiel Novak, but you can call me Cas. I’m a Libra; I enjoy reading by the fire, playing with my son, and, um, handsome blondes with green eyes and freckles.” Cas’ couldn’t believe how bold he had just been, and he felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest.

Dean chuckled. “See, that wasn’t so hard, now was it? You don’t have to be so nervous. I promise I don’t bite… unless you want me to, that is,” he said, wiggling his eyebrow.

Cas’ lips curved up in the corners, finding the man both charming and goofy. “I apologize. I’ve been an introvert my whole life. It’s probably why I find such joy and comfort in reading books.”

Dean took a step forward, slowly reaching for one of Cas’ hands and intertwining their fingers. “Hey, it’s ok. You don’t have to apologize for being shy. I’ll be extroverted enough for both of us. My aunt and uncle have said multiple times I would talk to a squirrel if it would talk back to me. I can’t say I haven’t tried a few times. Little buggers have never once said a darn thing back, though.”

“That’s kind of surprising since squirrels are known to be quite chatty,” Cas said. He squeezed Dean’s hand gently and glanced down, still surprised to see the open book and cherry pie on someone’s wrist besides his own. He swiped his thumb against the mark on Dean’s wrist and smiled. “I never thought I would see my soulmate mark on another person’s wrist. I thought I was too old for it to happen.”

“I know what you mean,” Dean said, awe and wonder filling his voice. “I’ve spent the past few years watching all of my friends and family find their soulmates, and I’ve been pretty desperate to find mine. All I’ve wanted is to not feel so alone and to finally start a life with somebody.”

Cas looked up, his eyes locking with Dean’s. He tilted his head slightly and asked, “Is that what you want with me, Dean? Start a life together and be a family?”

It was like a bucket of cold water was poured over Dean’s head. He instantly clamped up and stepped back, jerking his hand out of Cas’. He rubbed at the back of his neck and said, “I’d love that, but I’m no homewrecker, Cas.”

“What do you mean?” Cas asked, his eyes squinting.

Dean glanced towards the entrance to the bookshop and then focused back on Cas. “I saw your son, Cas. First at the Roadhouse and again when he ran into me a few minutes ago. I won’t be the reason a happy family is split apart. Being with my soulmate isn’t worth that.”

A smile spread across Cas’ lips, and he grasped Dean’s hand in his, refusing to let the other man pull away. “Dean, it’s just Jack and me. His mother… she died just after he was born. It’s only been the two of us for the past five years. Well, us and my brother that we lived with. You don’t have to worry about splitting anything up.”

A burst of air left Dean as he sighed in relief. “That’s good to know- I mean, that’s awful about Jack’s mom, but I’m glad to know that I’m not gonna cause any problems with your life.” Dean scoffed, shaking his head. “I’m sorry how bad that came out.”

Cas grinned, a soft laugh escaping him. “It’s ok, Dean. I came to terms with her death a long time ago. Jack, he never even knew her. He’s asked, and I’ve never kept her from him, but he’s still so young. All he wants to know is why all the other kids have two parents, and he only has one. Raising him on my own, even with the help of my brother, has been challenging. I want nothing more than to give Jack a second parent.”

“I’d be willing to be that. Jack seems like a great kid,” Dean said.

“He’s the best thing I could have ever asked for. I wouldn’t give him up for the world,” Cas gushed. “He really is a great kid. He’s very easygoing and is well behaved, and usually listens to what I tell him. He loves to read and often asks for books rather than toys. I was stopping by the shop because Jack wanted to see if his new books had come in yet. I figured I could also check with Kevin and make sure everything is running smoothly.”

Dean looked at Cas in disbelief. “Wait, you own the bookstore?”

Cas nodded his head, a bright smile on his face. “I do. It’s been a dream of mine to open my own bookshop. With the sales of my last two books, I was finally able to make my dream a reality.”

“You own a bookshop and are a published author? Holy crap, that’s awesome,” Dean exclaimed, impressed by Cas’ accomplishments. “What kind of books do you write? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of you before.” Dean dropped his gaze, embarrassed that he didn’t recognize Cas’ name.

“Dean,” Cas said softly. “Don’t think I’m offended that you’ve never heard of me. Truthfully, it’s not surprising since I use a pseudonym. I publish my books under Emmanuel Milton.”

Dean jerked his head up, his eyes comically wide. “Wait, you’re Emmanuel Milton? Dude, I love your books! I know they aren’t advertised for adults, but I love a good dragon story as much as the next. I’ve been eagerly waiting for the third one. Geez, I can’t believe I get a soulmate who is as successful as you. All I’ve done is gone to college and become a teacher.”

Cas shook his head. “Dean, you shouldn’t sell yourself short. Being a teacher is no easy feat.” Suddenly, Eileen’s words flashed across Cas’ head. “Wait, you don’t happen to teach kindergarten and have a sister-in-law named Eileen who works as a receptionist at the elementary school?”

“Uh, yeah, I do. How did you know all of that?” Dean asked skeptically.

“Well, it just so happens that I stopped by the school to sign Jack up for kindergarten. We met Eileen at the front desk, and she gushed about how Jack would love his new teacher and how Dean would make him feel right at home,” Cas explained.

“That’s awesome that I get to be Jack’s teacher! Eileen is such a sweetheart; my brother really lucked out when she was assigned as his soulmate,” Dean replied. “Speaking of Jack, should we go fetch him?”

Cas glanced at the front door to his shop. “We probably should, although if his book came in, I’d bet money he is curled up in a beanbag chair reading it. He loves books as much as I do.”

Dean squeezed Cas’ hand, and they started walking towards the shop. “There’s nothing wrong with that. As a teacher, I love to read and make sure to read to my kiddos every day. They love all the funny voices I do.”

Cas chuckled. “I’m sure they do. I might let you read to Jack and do the voices so that I can hear them.”

“Deal,” Dean said, holding the door open for Cas to walk through.

“Thank you.” Cas looked at the young black-haired man standing behind the front counter. “Hello, Kevin. How is everything going?”

Kevin, who had been leaning over the counter reading a book, jumped to attention. “Oh, hey, Cas. Everything is going well. That shipment of bestsellers you were waiting on came in. I can set them up on the advertising table if you want? Also, Jack’s books came in. He ran in a few minutes earlier and headed straight for the back, so I’m sure he’s found them by now.”

“Thank you, Kevin. If you don’t mind setting up the table, I would appreciate it. Are you still good to work tomorrow?” Cas asked.

“Yeah, of course.” Kevin glanced at Dean, a sly smile on his face. “Besides, it looks like you’ll be busy tomorrow.”

Cas blushed and squeezed Dean’s hand. “Kevin, this is, uh, Dean, my, uh, soulmate.”

Dean gave a small wave. “Hey, Kev. How’s your mom?”

“She’s good. Enjoying the Christmas break and not having to grade papers,” Kevin replied.

“You two know each other?” Cas scoffed. “Of course, you guys know each other; that’s a stupid question. I’m the new one around town, not you.”

Dean slipped his arm around Cas’ shoulder, pulling him closer to his body. “Hey, it’s ok, nothing to get flustered about. I don’t know everyone in town, but I do know most of them. You’ll learn who everybody is in time, don’t worry. Besides, I told you I was a social butterfly, and I meant it.”

Kevin snorted. “Boy, ain’t that the truth. Dean has even tried talking to a squirrel a time or two. Well, congrats, you two, on finding each other. I know that’s all Dean’s wanted for a while now, and I think you two are a great match.”

“Thanks, Kev. Christmas definitely came early for me. I can’t wait to make it Facebook official. Hey, would you mind taking a picture of Cas and me and then one with Jack as well?” Dean asked excitedly.

Kevin rolled his eyes. “Sure, hand me your phone.”

Dean whipped his phone out and passed it over. “C’mon, Cas. Let’s stand in front of the window.” He dragged Cas over to the window and positioned the two of them directly in the middle. Dean grabbed Cas’ right hand with his left and held it up, displaying their matching marks proudly.

Kevin stood in front of them, a lopsided grin on his face. “Alright, smile, you guys.” He snapped a couple of pictures, then said, “Got it. Now, we just need Jack.”

“I’ll go get him,” Cas offered. He returned a minute later with Jack in tow.

When Jack saw Dean, he smiled. “Hey, you’re the man I ran into earlier.” Jack’s eyes grew big. “Wait, you’re Daddy’s soulmate?”

Dean knelt in front of Jack, a look of concern on his face. “Hey, Jack. I’m Dean. Yeah, I’m your daddy’s soulmate. See,” Dean said, holding his wrist out for Jack to see the mark.

Jack studied the mark carefully. “Daddy said the book is because he loves to read. So that means the pie is for you. Do you love pie, Mr. Dean?”

“You bet I do,” Dean said, laughing softly. “Cherry is my favorite, but apple is good too and pecan and blueberry. All pie is good pie. What about you, Jack? Do you like pie?”

“I do, but I like cupcakes better,” Jack cried.

“You know what, I can see that. You look like a cupcake kind of kid. What’s your favorite flavor?”

Jack flashed a big gummy smile at Dean. “Orange cupcake with lemon icing.”

Dean looked at Cas with disgust. “Orange and lemon flavored cupcakes? What kind of combination is that?”

Cas sighed. “His mother had just as unusual taste as well. Her favorite thing to eat was pepperoni and brownies, at the same time.”

“Ugh, that sounds awful.” Dean focused back on Jack. “So, Jack, do you mind that your dad and I are soulmates?”

Jack looked at Dean, nibbling on his lower lip. “Do you mind that Daddy has me? Or are you like Uncle Mike and grandma and grandpa who thinks Daddy should have gotten rid of me?”

Dean’s face fell, and his mouth dropped open. He looked at Cas, confusion and hurt swirling in his eyes. “What?”

Cas wet his lips and swallowed past the lump in his throat. “My parents disapproved of me having a child with someone who wasn’t my soulmate. When Jack’s mother died, I struggled for a little bit, and without my brother, Gabe, I’m not sure I would have made it. My eldest brother, Michael, said the best thing I could do would be to put Jack up for adoption and go back to work for my parents. My whole life, I had let my parents rule my life; I refused to let them force me to get rid of Jack. They officially disowned me and said the only way they would take me back is if I put Jack up for adoption. Before I moved here, Michael stopped by and made sure Jack heard everything he had to say. Michael’s lucky I didn’t strangle him. Jack cried for days, and I was afraid it would have lasting effects on his psyche.”

Dean couldn’t believe what he had just heard. It broke his heart to know that Jack’s own family had said such things about him. “Hey, Jack, I want you to know that I don’t mind one bit that your daddy has you. In fact, I’m really glad he does. You are one of the cutest and sweetest little boys I’ve ever met. I’ve always wanted a son, and I hope one day you’ll think of me as your daddy, too. I’m always going to want you, and I will always love you. I promise you that.”

Dean made an “oomph” sound because his arms were suddenly full of a crying Jack. He wrapped his arms around Jack’s shaking body and buried his nose in the thick hair. “Shh, it’s ok, buddy. It’s ok.”

Jack wound his arms around Dean’s neck and crushed himself even harder against Dean’s body. “Da-daddy cal-calls m-me mon-monkey. May-maybe you c-c-could too,” Jack sobbed.

“Of course I can, monkey. I think that’s a perfect nickname for you,” Dean said softly, hugging Jack as close as possible. “Hey, it’s ok. You know what someone once told me?”

Jack pulled back, his face red and puffy. “What?”

“Family doesn’t end in blood, and it doesn’t start there either,” Dean said, wiping the tears off of Jack’s face. “So, if your grandparents and uncle want to be all mean, then let them. They aren’t your real family. Your real family is the one who cares about you no matter what. Sometimes, our closest family are the people we aren’t even related to. Your daddy and Uncle Gabe are your real family because they will always love you no matter what.”

Jack sniffled and used the back of his hand to wipe away the snot dripping from his nose. “And you,” he said, a small smile slowly curving his lips up.

“And me what?” Dean asked, confused by what the boy was talking about.

“You’re my real family now, right? Since you’re Daddy’s soulmate, that means you’re my daddy, and you’re gonna love me forever,” Jack said in a wobbly voice, obviously afraid that Dean hadn’t meant what he said.

A tear trailed down Dean’s cheek, and he nodded his head. “Absolutely, monkey.” He pulled Jack into his arms and then stood to his feet. He glanced at Cas and held an arm out so that Cas could join in the embrace. “We’re a family now, and we’re always gonna love each other.”

“Now, that’s a good family photo,” Kevin said from behind them.

Cas and Dean started laughing, and even Jack smiled. “Hey, how about we all go to my friend’s bakery down the street. Charlie makes the best pies and cupcakes. I’m pretty sure I could convince her to make you a whole batch of orange cupcakes with lemon frosting. Does that sound good, Jack?” Dean asked, trying to lighten the mood.

“I think that sounds perfect,” Cas said.

“Yay, cupcakes, cupcakes,” Jack cried, quickly forgetting about what just happened. “Can you carry me, Papa?”

Cas, a little startled that Jack called him papa instead of daddy, smiled and said, “Of course, monkey.” He reached for Jack, but the boy refused to leave Dean’s arms.

Jack shook his head. “No, Daddy, I want Papa to carry me.”

“I’m not sure who you’re talking about, Jack,” Cas said.

“I’m talking about Papa, Daddy,” Jack replied as if it was obvious who he was talking about. He looked at Dean and said, “Will you, Papa? Will you carry me?”

Dean’s breath left him. He stared at Cas, his eyes full of fear. “Cas, I didn’t- I don’t know- please, don’t be angry.”

“Why would I be angry, Dean? If Jack wants you to carry him, that’s fine by me. I will warn you that he likes to wiggle a lot, so you better make sure you have a good hold on him,” Cas said, looking at Dean fondly.

“Yeah, ok,” Dean answered, nodding dumbly. “Hey, monkey, you wanna sit on my shoulders while we walk to Charlie’s? You’ll be able to see everything.”

“Oh yeah, Daddy never puts me on his shoulders,” Jack said excitedly. “Can you put me down, Papa, so I can go get my books?”

Dean set Jack on the floor, and the boy ran off, returning a moment later with two books. Jack held them out to Cas and asked, “Daddy, will you carry my books?”

Cas took them without hesitation. “Of course, monkey. I just need to talk to Kevin for a few minutes, and then we’ll be good to go. Just give me five minutes, ok?”

“Ok, Daddy, five minutes. I’m gonna have Papa time you,” Jack said cheekily.

“Oh, you are, are you?” Cas reached out and tickled Jack’s sides, forcing laughter to bubble out of the boy’s throat. “Just for that, I’ll make sure to take an extra minute.”

“No, Daddy, no! Go talk to Mr. Kevin so we can go get cupcakes,” Jack cried, running away from Cas and hiding behind Dean’s legs.

“Alright, alright. I’m going.”

While Cas talked to Kevin, Dean kneeled in front of Jack and twirled the string of his sock monkey hat around his fingers. “I think I understand why your daddy calls you monkey. It looks like I will need to get a sock monkey hat so we can all match.”

Jack jumped on his feet. “Oh yes! Oh yes! Daddy and I could get you one for Christmas!”

Dean chuckled. “Hey, you aren’t supposed to tell someone what you’re getting them for Christmas. Besides, you guys don’t have to get me any presents.”

“Yes, we do,” Jack argued. “We get Uncle Gabe presents every year, and he’s family. You’re my Papa now, so that means you get presents. No arguing.”

Dean held his hands up in mock surrender. “Yes sir, no arguing.”

“No arguing about what?” Cas asked, walking back up to them.

“I told Papa that we have to get him presents for Christmas, and one of them has to be a matching sock monkey hat like ours,” Jack said.

“Well, of course, we will have to get Papa some presents. We don’t want him feeling left out,” Cas replied, a soft smile stretching his lips.

“Just when I thought my Christmas shopping was done,” Dean said good-naturedly. “Guess I’ll have to get a few more gifts for my soulmate and ridiculously cute son.” Dean grabbed Jack around the waist and plopped him on his shoulders.

Cas made sure Jack’s hat was low enough on his head and his jacket was buttoned up before they made their way outside. Dean grabbed Cas’ hand in his as they strolled down the street. While they walked, Dean pointed out the different shops to Cas and Jack, telling them about the people who owned each place. Cas smiled as he listened to Dean, ecstatic to have found such a caring and thoughtful soulmate.

A few minutes later, they stopped outside of a brightly colored bakery in pink and orange hues. Instead of finding it loud and obnoxious, Cas found it warm and welcoming. Dean leaned over and whispered, “Charlie has no shame, as you can see. When Charlie started designing this place, she told me she wanted the whole town to know she was lesbian and proud of it. Not like anybody in this town cares anyway.”

“I think it’s charming. I wish I were so bold,” Cas remarked.

Dean chuckled. “Trust me, very few people are.” He went quiet and shifted on his feet nervously. “I’m actually… um… well, I’m-”

“Dean, just tell me.”

“I’m bi,” Dean blurted. “I hope that doesn’t bother you.”

Cas tilted his head, looking at Dean with confusion. “Why would that bother me?”

Dean scuffed his shoe against the concrete. “An ex of mine thought that with me being bi, I would always be checking people out and would be quick to cheat on him. He constantly asked if I would rather be with a girl and or if I thought another guy was hot. I finally dumped him because I was tired of his accusations.”

Cas squeezed Dean’s hand and grinned. “He was just insecure of himself and took it out on you. I’m pan, so no, your sexuality doesn’t bother me. I can tell you’re a great man, Dean, and that’s all that matters to me. Now, I believe you promised our son orange cupcakes with lemon icing.”

Dean wiped at his eyes, and if there were a few unshed tears on the back of his hand, Cas didn’t comment on it. “You’re right, I did. C’mon, monkey, let’s get you those cupcakes.”

As soon as they walked into the bakery, their noses were assaulted with dozens of scents ranging from crisp apple to sweet caramel. Glass cases filled with dozens of sweet treats, including pies, cookies, cupcakes, and more lined the far wall. The walls were covered in hand-painted bakery treats, and there were a few tables scattered about for people to enjoy their confections. Cas was thrilled to see a coffee kiosk in the back corner, and he knew he would be stopping by quite often in the future.

“Hey, Dean,” a red-headed girl called from behind the counter. “Who are your friends?”

Dean pulled Cas forward. “Hey, Charlie. This is Cas, and the cute kid on my shoulder is Jack.” Dean glanced at Cas, happiness shining in his eyes. “Cas is my soulmate.”

Cas hurried to cover his ears when a high-pitched scream echoed throughout the shop. Charlie ran from behind the counter and nearly tackled Dean in a hug. Cas dropped his hands and stared at the pair, his heart pounding in his chest. Charlie would take some getting used to with her bubbly and quirky personality.

“Oh my gosh, Dean, that’s awesome,” Charlie squealed. As soon as she let her arms drop from Dean’s waist, she was turning around and pulling Cas into a bone-crushing hug. “Congratulations, Cas! I’m so happy for you guys!”

Cas was frozen within the confines of Charlie’s arms, and he could feel his accelerated heartbeat going even faster. He looked at Dean, panic filling him. “Dean, help,” he mouthed.

“Alright, Red, take it easy,” Dean said, dragging Charlie off of Cas. “Give Cas some space. He isn’t as fond of all the hugging like you and I are. You’re gonna give the poor guy a heart attack.”

Charlie flashed a sheepish smile in Cas’ direction. “Sorry, I’m just so thrilled. Dean is my best friend, and I’ve hated seeing him mope around so much.”

As Cas stared at Charlie, he was reminded of an eager puppy who just wanted to lick everything in sight. He relaxed his shoulders and felt the corners of his lips curve up. “It’s alright, I understand. I’m sure my brother will have a similar reaction when I tell him.”

“Sorry for scaring you. I’ll try and keep it toned down,” Charlie said. She looked back at Dean. “So, is that the only reason you stopped by today?”

“Psh no. I also want a couple of slices of your awesome apple pie and a peppermint hot chocolate,” Dean answered.

“You like peppermint hot chocolate just like Daddy does,” Jack piped up.

Dean pulled Jack off his shoulders and set him on the floor. “Is that so? You wanna tell Charlie what treat you want?”

Jack nodded and turned to face the baker. “I would like orange cupcakes with lemon icing, please. Oh, and can I have a really chocolatey hot chocolate with mini marshmallows? Not the big ones; they get too soggy.”

Charlie laughed. “Of course you can, little dude. Although, I’ll have to whip up a batch of cupcakes. I don’t have any orange ones made at the moment. Do you want to help me?”

“Oh, can I, Daddy? Can I?” Jack asked, looking at Cas with puppy dog eyes.

Cas hesitated. “Um, I don’t know.”

Charlie placed a reassuring hand on Cas’ arm. “I promise he’ll be safe. I’ve baked with my wife’s niece plenty of times. Gilda is in the office right now working on paperwork, but she won’t mind manning the counter while Jack and I bake. I won’t let him leave my sight for an instant, promise.”

Dean moved to wrap his arms around Cas’ waist, and Cas leaned into the muscular chest. “Alright. If he gets to be too much, just let me know.”

“Please, he won’t be a problem,” Charlie said, waving her hand dismissively. “Is there anything I can get you while you and Dean hang out?”

“Do you happen to have cherry pie?”

“Dude, I own a bakery; who would I be if I didn’t have cherry pie? Although, my cherry pie is nowhere near as good as Dean’s. I can outbake him in every way except when it comes to cherry pie. I don’t know how he does it, but his recipe is just better than mine,” Charlie explained, her lips turned down in a pout.

“Maybe I’ll give you the recipe one of these days,” Dean added.

“No, you won’t; you love holding it over my head,” Charlie shot back.

Dean shrugged. “You’ve got a point.”

“Whatever. Anything you want to drink, Cas?”

“A caramel macchiato with extra whipped cream would be great!”

Charlie gave a two-finger salute. “Alright, got it! Dean’s apple pie and hot chocolate and Cas’ cherry pie and macchiato. I’ll have Gilda bring it all out while Jack and I start on those cupcakes.”

“C’mon, Cas, let’s grab a seat while they go play in the kitchen,” Dean said, pulling him towards one of the tables.

“Bye, Daddy, bye Papa,” Jack cried before disappearing into the back with Charlie.

“Bye, monkey,” Cas and Dean called softly.

Sensing Cas’ nervousness, Dean pressed a gentle kiss to Cas’ cheek. “He’ll be fine, promise. Charlie would never let anything happen to him.”

Cas sighed, taking a seat in the chair Dean held out for him. “I’m telling myself that, but it’s hard. I’m not used to letting him out of my sight unless he’s on his way to school. Even back home, I didn’t have many friends to who I would entrust Jack. Besides Gabe, Hannah and Samandriel were the only people I trusted enough to watch Jack. It’s a lot to take in to see Jack already comfortable with so many new people.”

Dean dropped his gaze and studied his fingers, which were twitching. “I’m sorry if Jack calling me Papa upset you. And if you didn’t want Charlie to take him, she didn’t have to; she would have understood.”

“Dean,” Cas said gently, placing his hands on top of the other man’s. He waited for Dean to look at him. “These changes will take some getting used to, but they aren’t unwelcome. I love that Jack is already calling you Papa and that he took to Charlie. I worry that I’ve kept him too sheltered, but I’m so afraid of him getting hurt… as I did. I never want him to experience the things that I went through with my family, well, our family.”

Dean moved his fingers until he could grip Cas’ hands in his. “You wanna tell me about them?”

Cas sighed heavily, the breath leaving him and making him feel small. “No, but you deserve to know the truth.” For the next few minutes, Cas told Dean about his family and about Ellie. He told Dean how happy he was to no longer be under his family’s thumb and how the only family member he missed was Gabe. He explained how much he had loved Ellie but also how much he had wanted to find his soulmate.

“Hey, Cas, I get it. I lost my parents when I was six, and my brother and I were taken in by close family friends. The first time I called Ellen mom and Bobby dad, I had a major breakdown. I was so confused because I missed my parents, and they would always be my parents, but Ellen and Bobby were just as much my parents to me. Things, even bad things, happen for a reason, even if we don’t know what the reason is at that moment. Ellen and Bobby had always wanted kids, and they hadn’t been able to have them, so we were able to be the kids they couldn’t have. Of course, my crazy sister, Jo, was born a year later. I’ll always miss my parents, but I’m glad that I’ve had Bobby and Ellen to fill in,” Dean explained, a tear rolling down his cheek.

Cas huffed out a strangled, tear-filled noise. “You’re right, Dean. I know Ellie would want me to be happy, and she knew how much I wanted to find my soulmate. She wouldn’t begrudge me finding you.”

Just then, a brunette walked out and placed their pies and drinks on the table. “So, you’re Cas, the guy Charlie has been raving about for the past five minutes in the kitchen.”

Cas’ cheeks turned a deep red. “Um, I guess, although I’m not sure what there is to rave about. We only just met.”

Gilda chuckled, a light and airy sound. “Apparently, you’ve already made Dean happier than he has been in months. She also thinks Jack is the most precious thing in the world and has offered to babysit him whenever you need it.”

“He’s a pretty great kid,” Dean said. “Yeah, she’s right; Cas has definitely made me a very happy guy.”

“I’m not blind, Dean, even I can see that. You haven’t smiled like you are right now in ages. It was nice to meet you Cas, if you need anything else, just let me know.” Gilda set a couple of forks on the table and walked away.

“So, you have a brother?’ Cas asked, taking a sip of his drink. “Oh my, this is delicious.”

“Yeah, Charlie is a master baker, and Gilda can whip up drinks like nobody’s business,” Dean agreed, drinking some of his hot chocolate. “Yep, Sam is his name. He’s a lawyer and works at the firm here in town. That kid is my pride and joy, and I’ll brag about him to anybody who will listen. He graduated from high school as valedictorian, got a full ride to Stanford, and started practicing by the time he was twenty-six. The hardest years of my life were when he was gone; I can’t tell you how excited I was when he announced he was moving back to Black Creek. I can’t wait for you to meet him and the rest of my friends and family. They are gonna love you and Jack.”

“I look forward to meeting them. If they are important to you, then they will be important to me,” Cas said, smiling over the rim of his cup.

“I would say you could meet them on Christmas, but my parents would kill me if I waited a week to introduce you.” Dean’s eyes lit up. “Are you busy tomorrow night? I’m supposed to have dinner with my parents, Sammy, and Eileen, and I know they wouldn’t mind two extra guests.”

Cas grinned at Dean’s enthusiasm. “It just so happens that Jack and I are free tomorrow. Besides the days I’m working at the store, we’re free. We don’t even have plans for Christmas until my brother comes up in January to celebrate a late holiday.”

“What?” Dean exclaimed. “Cas, that won’t do. You and Jack will just have to spend Christmas with my family and me. There’s no way you guys are gonna be alone.”

“Dean, we wouldn’t want to impose. We’ll be ok.”

Dean held his finger up, silencing Cas. “No arguing with me on this. I refuse to let my soulmate and kid be alone on Christmas. You found me, Cas; you’re stuck with me. We’ll have to do some shopping so I can get Jack some presents and so you can give me some ideas about what you like.”

“We’re not that hard to shop for, Dean. Jack likes books, racecars, and animals, and I like books, bees, and painting. What about you? If you insist on getting us gifts, I must insist on getting you something.” Cas stared at Dean expectantly.

“I’m pretty easy to shop for as well. I’m a teacher, so I’ll never say no to school supplies. Like Jack, I love automobiles and collect model cars, especially vintage ones. I can’t wait to show you, Baby. She’s the most gorgeous car you’ll ever see. I also like rock music and have a large collection of vinyl that I play all the time.” Dean fell silent, and a blush crept across his cheeks. “And believe it or not, I love putting puzzles together. The more pieces there are, the happier I am.”

Cas reached across the table and grabbed Dean’s hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Dean, I think all of that sounds wonderful. You have nothing to be embarrassed by. I can definitely work with all of that. How about we make tomorrow a day, and we’ll take Jack and get our shopping done? Then we can have dinner with your family, and hopefully, by the end of the day, I won’t have embarrassed myself so badly that I want to crawl under a rock.”

Dean’s eyes twinkled with delight. “That sounds awesome, Cas. You have nothing to worry about; my family is a bunch of goofballs just like me. They will love you, I promise!”

“I’m going to hold you to that, Dean. According to my brother, a vulture makes for better conversation than I do,” Cas said, his lips forming a soft frown.

“If the squirrels didn’t make good conversationalists, I’m sure vultures would be even worse,” Dean replied, a small laugh escaping him. “When I meet your brother, I’ll have to give him a stern talking to.”

Cas snorted. “Trust me; it won’t do any good. Gabe is in his own little world, and nobody is pulling him out of it. He’s got a generous heart and cares about Jack and me, so I can’t be too mad at him. He’s the only one who supported me with Ellie, publishing my books, and even moving here. Gabe was the only thing that kept me in Arizona for so long. I wish he would move closer; it’s not like he has any love for our family. He even called Michael a great big bag of dicks one time. I wish I could have captured a picture of Michael’s face because I thought a blood vessel was going to pop.”

“Oh man, I can’t wait to meet your brother,” Dean said, shoving the last of his pie in his mouth. “I have a feeling we’ll get along just fine.” He glanced down at the mark on his wrist and grinned. “I still can’t believe I finally found you. It’s scary how accurate our mark is. I mean, you’re a published author, and I adore cherry pie.”

Cas lined his wrist against Dean’s, staring in awe at the marks. “I know what you mean. You know, my parents hate that Jack came from a union that wasn’t between soulmates. Even now that I found you, they still wouldn’t be happy. My sexuality was just one more thing they never approved of.”

Dean flipped his hand over and laid it on top of Cas’. “If I ever meet your parents, I think I’ll punch them. But I get it. I’m pretty sure my dad wouldn’t have approved either. I remember when we were at the zoo once, and he saw a couple of guys kissing. He made some pretty rude remarks, and my mom got onto him about it. I have a feeling me being bi wouldn’t have changed his mind. Now, Bobby and Ellen couldn’t give two shits about who I date, not that I’ve dated a lot of people. I tried a couple of times, but after getting left by a girl because she found her soulmate, I quit dating because I didn’t want the same thing to happen again.”

Cas nodded in understanding. “I only ever dated Ellie, and I was scared the entire time she would leave me. Even after she announced she was pregnant, I was still afraid. We did love each other, but I’m not sure we would have stayed together had we found our soulmates. We were two lost souls waiting to be found, it seems.”

“Were you guys swimming in a fishbowl?” Dean asked around his laughter.

Cas tilted his head. “What does a fishbowl have to do with anything?”

Dean sobered immediately. “Dude, you don’t know Pink Floyd?”

“Who? Who names their child Pink?”

“Oh, man!” Dean groaned and dropped his head back. “I’ve got so much to teach you. Pink Floyd is a band and two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl is a lyric from one of their songs.”

Cas opened his mouth to reply but didn’t get a chance to say anything. “Daddy, Papa, look what I got!” Jack came running up to them, his hair disheveled, and a few globs of yellow icing splattered across his face. Behind him was Charlie, a box held in her hands.

Charlie set the box on the table and lifted the lid to reveal two dozen cupcakes. A dozen of them were orange in color with bright yellow icing and car-shaped sprinkles. Another six were chocolate with pink icing with white flakes sprinkled on top. The last six cupcakes were yellow with purple icing and had little bee-shaped candies on top.

Dean and Cas looked between the cupcakes, Jack, and Charlie with matching expressions of disbelief. Dean finally spoke up. “These are awesome, but I thought you were just making cupcakes for you. Who are the other cupcakes for?”

“They’re for you and Daddy, of course,” Jack said matter of factly. “Charlie helped me make cupcakes for you guys as a surprise. I told her Daddy’s favorite flavor was lemon with lavender icing, and she said your favorite was chocolate with strawberry icing and coconut flakes.”

“I already had the chocolate and lemon cupcakes, so we decorated them while Jack’s cupcakes cooked. I was talking about getting you guys something to celebrate you finding each other, and Jack wanted to get you something as well. He thought cupcakes would be a good gift,” Charlie explained.

Cas stood to his feet and hugged Charlie, surprising her. “Thank you. I’m sure you made Jack’s day.”

Charlie returned the hug hesitantly. “You’re welcome. I had a lot of fun with him. He’s a great kid.”

Cas pulled away, nodding his head in agreement. “That he is.” He pulled Jack in for a tight hug. “Oh, monkey, they are wonderful. Thank you. We love them, don’t we, Dean?” He glanced at Dean and snorted at the man shoving an entire cupcake into his mouth.

“Rut? Reah, re rove rem,” Dean said around a mouthful of cupcake.

Charlie covered her eyes and shook her head. “Cas, I hate to tell you, but your soulmate is a complete dork who loves food, especially burgers and sweets! I’m telling you now, you can dress him up, but you can’t take him out.”

Dean glared at Charlie, his cheeks bulging out like a chipmunk's as he tried to chew up the cupcake. “Rhatrever. Ras roves re, ron’t rou Ras?”

Jack and Charlie leaned against each other, both of them laughing so hard tears were forming in their eyes. Cas paid them no attention as he moved to stand next to Dean. He reached out and wiped off a spot of strawberry icing in the corner of Dean’s mouth. Dean finished chewing and swallowed the last of his cupcake. The two of them stared at each other, the bakery fading into obscurity.

“It’s completely illogical since I’ve only known you a couple of hours, but yes, Dean, I do love you. I already don’t want to imagine my life without you,” Cas whispered, tracing his fingers lightly against the contour of Dean’s lips.

Dean stood up and pulled Cas into his arms. “That’s good to know because the moment I saw you on the sidewalk, I was in love with you, Cas. I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together.”

Dean leaned forward and softly touched his lips to Cas, just a gentle press of skin against skin, but it was the best kiss either of them had ever experienced. Cas leaned his forehead against Dean’s and pressed their mouths together, again and again, savoring the feel of Dean’s plump lips against his.

“Alright, guys, you have a kid present,” Charlie said, breaking them out of their stupor.

Cas remained in Dean’s embrace and motioned for Jack to come over. He picked Jack up, and they held the boy between the two of them, each pressing a kiss to Jack’s cheek.

“Let’s go home, Cas,” Dean whispered.

Cas nodded eagerly. They thanked Charlie one more time, put their hats on their heads, zipped up their jackets, and grabbed the box of cupcakes. Cas held Jack’s right hand, and Dean held his left hand as they walked out the bakery and back towards the bookstore, the epitome of a happy family.

**EPILOGUE: CHRISTMAS DAY**

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, bathing the bedroom in soft yellow and rousing Dean from his slumber. He blinked his eyes slowly, taking his time waking from his pleasant dreams. He sighed sleepily and stretched his arms above his head, his back popping multiple times. He rolled over and smiled, seeing his soulmate dozing peacefully.

Dean threw his arm over Cas’ waist and snuggled closer, his chest plastered to the other man’s back. He pressed feather-light kisses to Cas’ neck; his lips turned up in a smile. “Morning, angel,” Dean whispered.

“Dean,” Cas groaned. “It’s Christmas morning, and not even Jack is up yet, so why are you?”

Dean buried his laughter against Cas’ skin. “The sunlight woke me up. We forgot to make sure the curtains were completely closed last night.”

“Well, somebody made sure we were distracted last night after putting Jack to bed,” Cas complained, although Dean could hear the smile in his voice.

“Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it,” Dean said, rolling his hips, dragging his burgeoning erection against Cas’ backside.

Dean smiled as a moan was ripped from Cas’ throat. “Deeean! I swear to all that is holy, if you make me pop a boner on Christmas when our son could come barging in here at any time, I will strangle you!”

Dean hid his face against Cas’ shoulder, trying to keep himself from laughing. He worried the skin with his teeth and then soothed the sting with a few light licks of his tongue. “Alright, I’ll stop. So, does Jack normally sleep in this late on Christmas?”

Cas rolled over, a soft smile on his face as he stared at Dean. “I think you wore him out last night with baking cookies and drinking hot chocolate and watching movies. Usually, I have him in bed by eight on Christmas Eve instead of ten.”

“Sorry. It’s just been so long since I got to do stuff like that on Christmas Eve.” Dean paused. “Hell, Sam must have been around thirteen or fourteen. I didn’t realize how much I missed it.”

Cas trailed his fingers down Dean’s cheek and across his lips. “Trust me; I don’t mind. I enjoy seeing you two together. I’m not sure who adores the other more.”

Dean kissed Cas, a few tender presses of their lips against each other. “I can’t tell you how happy I am, Cas. Finding my soulmate and having a kid or two has been my biggest dream for so long now. This past week has been the best of my life.”

“Me too, Dean, me too,” Cas agreed. “Jack and I love you so much.”

Dean leaned his forehead against Cas’, a scant inch between their mouths. “I love you both more than I have words for.”

Just then, “Daaaaaddyyyyy! Paaaaapaaaaa! It’s Christmas! It’s Christmas! Wake up! Wake up,” Jack hollered, running into their room and jumping onto the bed. He clambered on top of Dean and Cas, not caring where he stepped or who he stepped on. “C’mon, we got to go open presents!”

Dean bit back a curse as he reached to cover his crotch and Cas glared at his son, his hip now sporting a small foot-shaped bruise. “Jack,” Cas gritted between his teeth. “Please be careful where you’re stepping.”

Jack fell to his knees, sitting between his fathers. “Sorry Papa, sorry Daddy,” he said, vibrating with barely contained excitement.

“It’s ok, monkey,” Dean said, scooping Jack into his arms. “Just gotta watch where you’re stepping because you might hurt someone. We’re not mad at you.”

Jack threw his arms around Dean and hugged him tightly. “I will, I promise. Can we go open presents now?”

“Yeah, we can, but first, little boys have to get tickled before they can open presents,” Dean cried, running his fingers up and down Jack’s sensitive sides.

Jack busted into laughter. “Papa, stop! Stop!”

After a few minutes, Dean pulled his fingers away and slipped out of bed. He picked Jack up and sat him on his shoulders. “Alright, monkey, it’s present time! Buckle your seatbelt and hold on tight!”

Jack made a clicking sound. “Alright, Papa, I’m buckled in! Let’s fly!”

Cas watched in amusement as Dean ran out of the room, ducking and swerving, causing sweet laughter to bubble out of Jack’s throat. He sat there, thinking about the whirlwind that his life had been the past week.

As promised, the day after Dean and Cas met, they, along with Jack, had finished up their Christmas shopping and had dinner with Dean’s family. Cas had been a nervous wreck standing outside Ellen and Bobby’s house, terrified that they would hate him or think he wasn’t good enough for Dean. No amount of reassurance from Dean had been able to calm his overstretched nerves, and by the time Ellen opened the door, Cas had almost fainted.

Dean had been right, though; Cas had nothing to worry about. Ellen had immediately pulled Cas into her arms and welcomed him into the family. She had squealed with delight when she saw Jack, overjoyed that she was finally a grandma. Bobby had been the next person Cas had been introduced to, and his gruff exterior had left Cas wanting to run for the hills. After a firm handshake and a firm, “You better treat my boy right,” Bobby had welcomed Cas just as easily as Ellen.

Dean’s parents turned out to be everything Cas’ parents weren’t. Ellen and Bobby were friendly and caring, and loving. They had supported Dean and Sam in every adventure and dream the boys had had growing up. They never once forced Sam or Dean to do anything they didn’t want, and the thought of getting rid of a child was inconceivable to them. When Cas had told them about what his own parents had done, Ellen threatened to punch them, and Bobby had threatened to shoot them. Cas couldn’t help but hug them.

Sam wasn’t what Cas was expecting either. Sam was a six-foot-two pile of gangly limbs and overenthusiasm. He had tripped in his eagerness to meet Cas and had sent the beer Bobby held in his hands flying. Like Ellen, Sam had wrapped Cas in a bone-crunching hug and then grabbed Dean in a headlock and given his brother a noogie. Afterward, he had picked Jack up, plopped him on his shoulders, and had walked around the house pretending to be a horse. And Cas had thought his own brother a handful. Cas’ biggest complaint about Gabe was his ridiculous love of all things sweet, especially candy.

When Eileen hugged Cas, and they started signing, everyone was surprised. He had blushed and explained how he took it in college as an elective, and it wasn’t that big of a deal. Sam had squeezed his shoulder and said, “It means more than you know.”

Dinner had been a pleasant affair; the entire time was spent telling stories of crazy childhood adventures and shenanigans. With as many pranks as Sam and Dean played on one another growing up, Cas was surprised either of them made it to adulthood. He had made sure to give Jack a stern warning about doing any of the crazy stunts his papa and uncle talked about.

After dinner, they had headed outside so Dean, Jack, and Sam could play in the snow while the rest of the adults relaxed on the porch. They were all amused watching the three build snowmen, make snow angels, and have a snowball fight that Dean and Jack ended up winning. By the time Dean, Cas, and Jack headed home, the little boy was sound asleep, and Cas had finally found a family who loved him.

Dean had spent that night and every night since at Cas’ house. It had been an easy decision for Dean to move into Cas’ house. He didn’t want to have to uproot Jack a second time, and Cas loved the little pond by his home. Dean also had a lot less stuff to move, and Cas’ house was larger than his own.

Cas had thought living with Dean would be difficult or take some getting used to, but Dean turned out to be the easiest person to live with. Dean was always willing to help with chores around the house, play with Jack so Cas could work on his manuscript, and he even helped out around the bookstore. Dean took over most of the cooking since it was a favorite hobby, and he loved being able to provide for his family. Dean’s biggest fault: his procrastination of doing laundry. Since Dean did the cooking, Cas had willingly agreed to take care of the laundry.

Cas had never been one to believe in the stories of love at first sight, but from the moment he had seen Dean, he had been in love. He knew them being soulmates was a significant factor in why they got along so well, but Cas didn’t mind. Jack finally had a second parent, and Cas had someone who loved him unconditionally. Not only did he gain a lover, but he also gained a family. Cas had never been happier.

He was broken from his thoughts when his phone started ringing. Cas checked the caller ID and was surprised to see it was Gabe calling so early. “Hello.”

“Merry Christmas, Cassie! How’s my favorite brother doing?” Gabe asked eagerly.

“Merry Christmas, Gabe. Have you already broken into your candy stash? You’re awful cheery for it being so early,” Cas said, standing to his feet and stretching.

Gabe popped his lips. “You bet I have! So, what are you up to on this wonderful Christmas morning?”

“Dean, Jack, and I are going to open presents, and then we are heading over to Sam’s place to spend Christmas with them and some friends. Jack is looking forward to all the presents and food,” Cas explained.

Gabe laughed. “I bet he is! So, I have some good news to tell you, and I just couldn’t wait until I came up next week.”

Cas headed towards the living room. “Well, don’t keep me in suspense.”

Gabe took a deep breath and then said in a rush, “I’m moving to Montana with you.”

“You’re what? You went too fast.”

“I’m moving to Montana with you and Jack and Dean,” Gabe said, much slower.

Cas nearly dropped the phone at hearing his brother’s news. “Gabe, are you serious? You’re really moving up here?”

“Yep. Found a buyer for the house yesterday, and it turns out a house just went up on the market about ten minutes from where you live. The timing couldn’t be better, huh?”

“Yeah,” Cas replied, smiling. “I’m pretty sure the house you’re talking about is the one Dean used to live in. I can’t believe you’re moving up here. Jack is going to love having his Uncle Gabe so close.”

“And what about you? Will you be glad I’m so close again?”

“Gabe, how could you say that?” Cas asked, a bit of anger seeping into his voice. “Of course, I want you close by. I’ve missed you. With you moving up here, everything will be perfect. I can’t wait for you to meet Dean and his family. They’re nothing like our family, that’s for sure.”

Gabe made a disgruntled sound. “I would hope they weren’t. Our family is nothing but a great big bag of dicks. As soon as you and Jack moved away, I started looking for a way to get away from here myself. I hate being so far from you guys, and it’s not like I talk to the rest of our family. I even found a place to start a candy shop up there. I already sold the one down here. I was just waiting for the house to sell before I told you the news.”

“It’s definitely a Christmas gift I wasn’t expecting. I’ve missed you, Gabe. I can’t wait to have you so close again,” Cas said, a broad smile stretching his lips.

“Daddy, Papa and I can hear you! Get in here so we can open presents,” Jack called.

“Welp, I hear the kiddo calling you! You better get going, or else you’ll have a riot on your hand. Give Jack my love, and I’ll see you guys in a week.”

“I will. I love you, Gabe.”

“Love you too, little bro. Bye.”

“Bye, Gabe,” Cas said, ending the call and slipping the phone into his pajama pocket.

Cas rounded the corner and stared at his soulmate and son, who were currently racing toy cars around the living room. Like Cas, they wore red checkered pants and a white shirt with long black sleeves and a red plaid monkey sewn in the center. Above Dean’s monkey was the word “Papa,” Cas’ shirt had “Daddy, and Jack’s shirt read “Little.” When Jack had seen them at the store, he had refused to leave until Dean had broken down and bought a pair for each of them. Cas had stood to the side with a huge grin, knowing Jack would get his way because Dean couldn’t tell his son no.

Dean glanced up and noticed Cas standing in the entranceway. “You gonna stare at us all morning, or are you planning on joining us? If we don’t start opening presents soon, Jack is gonna turn into a real monkey and start throwing bananas.”

Cas rolled his eyes and moved to take a seat next to Dean. They shared a quick kiss before Cas had a lap full of wriggling five-year-old. “C’mon, Daddy! It’s present time; it’s present time!”

“You’re right, monkey; it is present time. Grab the gift you want Papa to open first,” Cas said, placing a light kiss on Jack’s forehead.

Dean looked at Cas quizzically. “There’s a certain gift I have to open first?”

Cas nodded. “Yes, because once you open it, Jack wants a family picture. He’s been planning it for days now.”

“Here, Papa, open your present,” Jack cried, shoving a poorly wrapped box into Dean’s hands.

Dean looked at the box, which had more tape than wrapping paper on it. “Uh, guys, I might need a knife just to open this thing.”

“He also insisted on wrapping it himself,” Cas explained around his laughter. “I cut a strip of tape so you would have something to start with.”

Dean turned the box over and gave a shout of, “Aha,” when he found the piece of tape Cas was talking about. A minute later, he opened the box to reveal a blue sock monkey hat. He held it up, a grin splitting his face. “This is awesome, Jack. Thank you. Now, go grab yours and Daddy’s hats so we can take a picture and then get to opening gifts.”

Jack jumped to his feet and ran to get the hats. When he returned, his hat was already crammed on his head, and he threw Cas his hat, shouting, “Put it on, Daddy! Put it on, so we can take our picture!”

Cas chuckled, his teeth showing and his eyes and nose scrunching up. “I’m putting it on; I’m putting it on.”

Once they all had their hats on their heads, Dean pulled the tripod stand out. He got everything set up, then turned to Jack and asked, “Alright, monkey, how do you want us?”

“I want you and Daddy to hold hands so that your marks are showing and you guys have to be kissing. I’m gonna stand in front with a surprised face like this!” Jack dropped his jaw open, his eyes wide, and a hand on each side of his face.

Dean pulled Jack into his arms and placed a big, wet kiss on his cheek. “You really are a monkey; you know that?”

“Papa, stop! It’s picture time. C’mon, Daddy,” Jack cried, reaching for Cas’ hand.

“I’m coming. Just let me set the timer,” Cas said, pressing a button on his phone.

Cas moved to stand next to Dean, and they intertwined their fingers and held up their hands, putting their marks on full display. They leaned forward, their lips meeting in the middle for a kiss. Jack stood underneath them, wearing the shocked expression he had shown Dean. There was a bright flash, indicating the picture was taken, and then Jack was running forward, eager to see the picture.

“Bring the phone here, monkey, and I’ll pull the picture up,” Cas said.

Jack handed him the phone, and Cas went to his gallery and pulled up the latest picture. His lips curved up as he looked at the family photo they had just taken. “It’s perfect!”

Dean and Jack rushed to look. “Yay! Now, time for presents,” Jack said, already turning towards the tree to pick out his first present from the rather impressive pile.

Dean wrapped an arm around Cas’ waist and kissed his cheek tenderly. “That’s going to be my new profile pic. Let’s see how many likes and comments this one gets. Can you believe I’m still getting comments on the one I posted of us in the bookstore?”

Cas dropped the phone on the table and slid his arms around Dean’s neck. “It was a good photo of us. I think this one is even better, though. Thank you, Dean, for everything.”

“No, Cas, thank you,” Dean said, nuzzling his nose against Cas’. “You’ve given me everything I’ve ever wanted.”

“Daddy, Papa, quit making out and let’s open presents! Santa worked so hard to bring them; the least we can do is open them,” Jack said from behind them, causing his dads to dissolve into laughter.

“You’re ruining our son, Dean,” Cas chastised.

Dean shrugged, unperturbed. “I think he’s just fine. Besides, he’s got a point!” Dean lowered his voice and whispered, “Santa may not have worked hard, but we did.”

“Oh, hush.” Cas gave a light slap to Dean’s arm and then turned to his son. “Alright, monkey, you can open your gift.”

Jack tore into the paper and gave a joyous shout when he saw the giant stuffed, purple monkey. Dean and Cas leaned against each other, watching their son. “Best Christmas ever,” Dean whispered.

“It certainly is,” Cas agreed.


End file.
